


Hello Teacher

by FictionalCat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Dark Eren Yeager, F/M, Forced Relationship, Possessive Behavior, Stalking, Teacher-Student Relationship, Underage Eren Yeager, Yandere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-06-27 08:34:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15681816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalCat/pseuds/FictionalCat
Summary: But he caught her in his trap.Like an unsuspecting rabbit that blindly, stupidly, followed the wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. The deception was well crafted and wonderfully played out that she didn't even flinch when it stabbed her right in the chest.AU Yandere Eren x Teacher Reader





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

 

 

 

_**"Please Miss (L/n), just this once please."** _

 

That one fatal mistake of giving in marked the start. That one moment of leniency and act of kindness started the journey to her downfall. If only she stuck to her code of never giving in to ridiculous pleas of a student, she wouldn't be in the dark situation she is desperately trying to crawl out of right now.

 

She was supposed to be strong, she was supposed to be firm, she should've not shown any mercy, just like how she has always done in the past few years of teaching. She should've adhered to the principles and ethics of professionalism. Oh, but how she tried. She did her best. She had always been known as one of the stoic faculty members. Never batting an eyelash despite the tears, the red failing marks, the disappointment and the desparation of the students she faced.

 

But he caught her in his trap. 

 

Like an unsuspecting rabbit that blindly, stupidly, followed the wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. The deception was well crafted and wonderfully played out that she didn't even flinch when it stabbed her right in the chest. 

 

_"Please, Miss (L/n)...."_

 

That sweetly innocent bait endearingly managed to pull at her heart strings time and time again and the accompanying bright emerald eyes that would peer at her shyly completed the spell. She didn't even know how he enchanted her. 

 

Eren Jaeger.

 

* * *

 

 

  
He came to her office one day, his face contorted into a disappointed scowl which came off as angry. In his hand, a slightly crumpled paper with a failing grade in Chemistry. She knew the kid from one of her second year classes and was known as one of the top 10 students of their level. For some reason, the brown-haired teen was having extreme difficulty in her subject. 

 

Popular, hot-headed, stubborn, smart and athletic, but he failed in her class. Guess, you just can't have it all. He demanded for a recomputation of his grades, quite aggressively she might add, much to her amusement. 

 

"Mr. Jaeger, looking at your stats since prelims, you have hardly enough passing points in all our quizzes and tests," she eyed the teen who was squirming in his seat but she continued, "I am quite sure I did all I could as your subject teacher and I remember asking if anyone ever has any difficulty in the topics. I would've gladly gone over the lessons all over again."

 

She made sure to be as gentle as possible but the way he approached her was somehow crude. There was no greeting, no smile, no respect. He just knocked once and barged in her office like she owed him something.

 

Eren didn't say anything for a while. He glared at the ground with his fists by his sides, some tears beading at the corners of his eyes. She raised a brow, waiting for him to respond. Well, midterm has just concluded. And he failed it horribly. It was like he never attended classes despite always being there. Did he not have any friends he could ask help from? There were tons of books and resources to learn and review from. 

 

Where did she go wrong? She would try to  incorporate at least 3 teaching styles to accomodate various types of learners. Was she too fast? Too slow? Too boring? But he was the only one who failed. 

 

And Eren knew that. And he was so frustrated. 

 

"I know. It's..." he started off, "It's just that chemistry has never been my strong suit. I-I just got lucky in General Chemistry, b-but..." And he began to sniff back tears, much to her displeasure. She never liked dealing with crying kids, especially crying highschoolers.

 

"Advanced Chemistry is just so hard!! I did not want to look dumb in class so I did my best to study and review at home, but it's just so hard!" Frustration and self hate evident in his voice as he went on, "Armin-- My friend did his best to teach me but I still have a hard time getting the hang of it all!" 

 

Eren didn't like sounding weak and useless in front of anyone, he never did. His fiery determination and passion to rise above has been his fuel to do good and in turn, it made him seem like an asshole sometimes. Always lashing out at anyone that threatened him, always trying to assert his dominance and always trying to act like he is okay even if he wasn't. 

 

He looked at his chemistry teacher who was now quietly observing him. She was probably thinking deep about the situation.

  
Worried that she might judge him as an incompetent fool, he immediately made a proposal, his eyes once again burned with determination.

 

"I'm not asking you to pull up my grade. I know my weaknesses but please, Ma'am," he pleaded, his lips quivered and his brows knit together in a sad desperate expression, "Please, spare me some of your precious time to teach me. I really want to pass my finals."

 

She frowned. No matter how sincere his request was, she can't just favor one student over all the ones who failed her subject in other sections. Plus, work hours are work hours. Beyond that is her time to be selfish and relax from the stresses of school work. This is ridiculous.

 

"I'm sorry, I'd have to say no. I value my free time as much as my working hours. Step down from your pride and ask help from others, Mr. Jaeger," she deadpanned at him, finally gathering her papers and folders and filing then neatly. She's got no time for this. 

 

To her greatest surprise, the green-eyed young man ran to her side, got down to his knees and started begging. She almost fell off from her chair in shock. (Y/n) told him to stop and stand up, but he paid no heed.

 

"Please, please, _please_ Miss (L/n)! You're the only one who can help me please! I'd do anything! Please!" _Oh god_ , he's crying now. His huge emerald eyes glistened with tears, his face flushed from trying to hold back a sob. 

 

He honestly looked like a puppy. A poor pathetic puppy.

 

"Please Miss (L/n), just this once please."

 

He kneeled there, looking up at her with huge pleading eyes. Sobs racked his shoulders ever so slightly and his hands clasped together against his chest. It was as if he was praying to a deity of some kind. As if she was some deity. 

 

She vaguely remembered her dead puppy which never grew old enough to be an adult. It would whine and look at her expectantly, hopefully, with big adorable eyes. 

 

She used to see different gimmicks from her students. Not one was able to get to her.

 

Yet as each second passed, the harder it gets to say no. She gulped and released a harsh breath. Deeply annoyed, she scratched her head rashly. She cleared her throat and looked at the boy long and hard before urging him to stand up. He still looked so worried, worried that she'd say no and he'd be taken away from the roster of honor students.

 

"I don't do favors among students. It's quite unfair to others, a few students failed too," she drawled out.

 

"But Ma'am, I really really need to pass. Please, just this once, help me out. Please," he softly sobbed.

 

With a sigh and one last head scratch, she decided to agree. Surely, a little help won't hurt right? Plus he was a promising a student. This should be for the greater good, right?

 

"Fine. I'll just offer a little bit of assistance. Damn it."

 

With this, his eyes widened and sparkled with gratefulness. A huge grin broke out of his face. He would've jumped and danced around her office, if not for her harsh glare.

 

"Oh my god! Thank you Miss (L/n)! Thank you so much!! I promise I won't waste your time! I will do my best, I swear!! You won't regret this!" He exclaimed happily, finally seeing light in his seemingly dark situation.

 

"Just don't tell anyone about this. Tch," she grumbled irritably and waved him off.

 

"I swear, I won't tell a single soul! Thank you so much, Miss (L/n)! I owe you a big one!" Eren grinned from ear to ear. Without asking, he grabbed a pen and paper and jotted his number for her to text him her time of availability.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

 

_"Please Miss (L/n)..."_

 

She could only weep bitterly at what has become of her. If she could just cut off her heart strings. If only she didn't feel even the slightest of compassion. If only she had hardened her heart and turned away. If only she could turn back time, she would've said no. 

 

 _Eren_.

 

A sweet young man he was. But how could someone as sweet as he was be such a bitter pill for her to swallow?

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Take note of the valence of each element. You can check that on the periodic table," her mild voice and the sound of pencil running across paper were the only sound signifying life in the empty classroom. She has a reputation to keep therefore discretion is necessary. 

 

The boy nodded and for once, chemistry started to make sense. With the help of the young teacher's silly illustrations, she was able to help him better visualize the relationship of atoms, as they make up elements and the relationship of elements with each other. It was clear as day that Eren did the right choice of begging. He was a smart boy. He just needed help in some way. Luckily, she was able to figure it out. 

 

A hum of glad realization erupted from Eren as he scribbled his answers and drawing his own lewis dots. 'What the hell, this is so easy!' He felt giddy and excited as (y/n) gave him an approving nod and more problems to solve. She was quite gentle, despite the underlying impatience and that only made her more endearing to him. 

 

She never pretends to be nice, that's why whenever she is nice, he knew it was genuine. Jeager won't admit it but he lived for praises. He loved getting praised for how well he did. And (y/n) has been generous in giving out praises whenever he understood a certain topic faster than expected. 

 

_"Good job, Eren! Now we can go home earlier."_

_"Good boy! You're actually a smart one, aren't you?"_

_"You're doing so well. It makes me a little bit proud."_  

 

He studied at home, specifically focusing on Chemistry. By now, he has already a clear grasp of the subject and its topics. He was already confident learning on his own again. He could already stop coming for remedial classes from her, truthfully. But for some reason, he didn't want to.

 

It was a surreal feeling of having the stoic teacher all for himself in an empty classroom. From his view, he observed many things and behaviors of his teacher that are not noticeable during her usual classes. 

 

He observed that Miss (L/n) likes feeling her soft hair every once in a while. She drinks (fave drink) every time she went to class, remedial or not. She smelled of (fave scent) that varies in intensity throughout the day. She has her pet cat as her screenlock photo. Her phonelock password consisted of three letters and two numbers. He had a lot more of these observations which he kept to himself. 

 

It would seem suspicious of he shared it with his friends, there's that. But most importantly, he wanted to be the only one who knows many things about her. To be singled out and be personally tutored by her made him feel special. 

 

He glanced at her sitting form few chairs away from him. She never gets close. And Eren understood that the only relationship going on between them is strictly professional. She saved his sorry ass, he is grateful. That's it. But he wished to see more, to feel more, to have more. Absurd as it may be.

 

"You done Eren?" 

 

He strained his ears to fully listen to her sweet voice. He could listen to it all day. And he was so glad to see her twice a day. He felt so special and blessed.

 

She leaned over to check his paper, he could smell he faint perfume and her shampoo as a few (h/c) locks fell from her shoulders. She smells so good.

 

"You got all of them correct. Good job!" 

 

Ah, finally he's getting much better. The unpaid overtime somehow was worth it. She looked out the window and saw the skies starting to get darker. The setting sun has been their only source of light during these classes. Not that Eren is complaining, it was bright enough anyways. 

 

Eren smiled at the compliment, feeling butterflies fluttering in his stomach. How long has he been feeling this way, anyways? After the 2nd week? After a month? He couldn't honestly remember clearly. 

 

"Thank you very much, Miss (L/n). I never knew I could answer such questions on my own. You saved me!" He joyfully said, much to her amusement.

 

_Saved him?_

 

Well, considering how close he was to falling from his spot in the top 10, she guessed he's right.

 

"Well, you just needed a little push in the right direction. You did most of the work, anyways. I was just here to assist. And also you've been doing so well in class now," she said as she tied her hair back to a ponytail, missing the way Eren gulped and tensed. "I kinda feel bad though, I feel like I'm playing favorites," she added as an afterthought.

 

"Anyways, it's already getting dark. Time to go home. God, I'm tired. Be careful on your way home," she yawned as she walked on ahead. Eren only smiled. Her first and last drop of energy, she was able to spend it on him.

 

Now, he had to find a way for the remedial classes to continue.

 

 

* * *

 

  
_"... You saved me!"_

 

If she only realized the meaning behind the strange longing looks he'd give her during their classes, she would've had the idea. She would've known what he felt for her, and she could've stopped his feelings for her then and there. Nothing would grow and nothing would evolve from his seed of desire. But she didn't. She only has herself to blame. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
Eren has been acting strange.

 

Not only were his behavior being erratic but also his scores. (Y/n) couldn't fathom why would that even happen. For months, he has been so good with the exercises she gave him. It should be impossible for him to fail any of her quizzes. She bit her nail while trying to figure him out. At the early stages, he would show such promising results. Even perfected some of the long quizzes, but as more quizzes are given, his scores started to dwindle.

 

His ever changing moods are something to take note of too. One moment, he's cheerful, and the next, you'll find him slumped in his seat looking blankly far ahead. Just what is his deal? 

 

Odd indeed. But what she didn't know was that Eren selectively passed and failed certain quizzes on purpose. Just so he could still ensure a passing final grade while sending her over the edge and ultimately have her continue fawning over him. He's been trying to emotionally bait her and so far, he's getting her attention the way he wanted it. He felt bad that her relaxation time is cut short or that she had to cancel plans with her friends just so she could help him out, though. It can't be helped.

 

She was just so compassionate. And he established some sort of dependence on her, tying her with him using pity and guilt.

 

"I thought I already got this, I was wrong. I'm such a disappointment. I'm so sorry..."

 

  
"Don't say that. Just do your best next time."

 

She hated looking at his sad expression when his eyes are brimming with tears of frustration and disappointment. She understood that sometimes, people rise, people fall. It's not always gonna be a good day and that the least she could do for him is to continue to support him. Over time, she has grown to like him as a small pet. Much like her late pet, (p/n). She has even set his contact name as (p/n). 

 

"Oh, Miss (L/n) * _sniffle_ * thank you," the brunette sobbed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Her breath hitched at the sudden contact. To avoid smearing her lipstick against his white polo, she tilted her head up just in time and rested her chin on his broad shoulder. He was a lot taller than (y/n), making him tower over her. 

 

Hesitantly, she patted his back in an attempt to soothe him, which resulted in him leaning closer to her and nuzzling his nose to her hair. Who knew the brash kid can be such a crybaby? She sighed and awkwardly rubbed circles on his back. Anyone, no matter how tough, has their own weaknesses after all.

 

"Don't worry about it Eren, you'll just have to pour in more work and try again next meeting," she softly encouraged. He shuffled against her, indicating he was listening.

 

"You think I can do it, Miss (L/n)? I'm losing confidence somehow," replied the worried teen, who was now breathing into her (h/c) hair. 

 

"Mhm, you can. Now stop being a baby and let's start our lessons, okay?" She wanted to slip in a sarcastic and mean comment but decided today's not the right time to do so. Poor kid was devastated. 

 

He pulled away, still holding unto her, and smiled. For a moment, (y/n) thought she saw an angel. His green eyes sparkled with happiness and hope, and a rosy pink hue dusted his cheeks, and his plump lips... she never saw anyone smiled as angelic as he does now. No wonder people are drawn to him, he is beautiful. 

 

She was getting lost in her thoughts when all of a sudden, she felt petal soft lips pressing against her own. It took her a few seconds to get a hold of what was happening. She gasped. _Eren Jaeger was kissing her!_ Her eyes widened. She pushed him away and got out of his grasp, breaking the kiss before he could even move his lips against hers.

 

"W-What the hell was _that_??" She stuttered in panic, clamping a hand on her mouth as if it burned. The soft warmth was still there, but she shook the thought away. No way, a student just kissed her. This is beyond what a proper student-teacher relationship is. 

 

Instead of the usual strings of pathetic apologies, something she didn't expect came out of his lips.

 

"Well, you look like you wanted to be kissed back there, _teacher_ ," his voice unbelievably deep and husky. She looked at him in horified confusion. He was looking straight at her with eyes full of lust, but his facial expression looked like he was in a longing daze. As if snapping out of a spell, he frantically apologized, even going down to her knees and begging for her forgiveness.

 

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Miss (Y/n)!! I didn't know what came over me. Please forgive me please!! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. (Y/n) looked down at him disbelievingly. _What the hell is happening to him?_  

 

"I didn't mean to do that, I swear! If you want, you can punish me," he was getting desperate and his clasped hands shook ever so often. "I-I'm just so stressed with all these frustrations piling one after another. I-I don't know anymore." He was crying again, fisting the cloth on his chest. "I'm sorry..."

 

She sighed deeply, taking a thoughtful look at his shivering form. The poor child looked so terrified. Instead of getting mad and scolding him big time, she decided to let it slide for now. Putting in all your effort only to fail at the end frustrates a lot of people, such as Eren. And sometimes, frustrated people do questionable things...

 

"Don't do that again. We are student and teacher. Please act accordingly," she scolded, biting back on her harsher words. 

 

A wave of relief washed over Eren. If she decided not to meet him ever again for lessons, he'd be damned. He won't know what to do. But his relief was short-lived when she continued,

 

"Let's postpone remedial classes today. Go home and rest."

 

And with that, she was gone, leaving Eren in cold dread. His wide eyes watched her retreating back until she slammed the door shut. 

 

Gingerly, his hand found its way to his mouth, fingers tracing the spot where the warmth of her lips once was. He let his tongue ran over his plump pink lips as he relieve the memory of the kiss. Closing his eyes, Eren shuddered and moaned, feeling very pleased as he whispered her name over and over again.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

"Since you have balanced all atoms besides the hydrogen and oxygen, you can address the hydrogen atoms. You have 8 on the left side. So you'll need 8 on the right side. Use a coefficient to achieve this."

 

As usual, it's another moment of brain exercise for the the whole class. Eren, with his brows furrowed, tried to balance the chemical equation given as an example. While everybody was listening and absorbing information about the newly introduced topic, the brunette has already learned it last night. 

 

In a complex class, even a few seconds of getting whisked away in irrelevant thoughts would cause you a great deal of loss. At least for Eren. Today, he wanted to watch her more. To do that, he had to study in advance. Glancing up from his scratch paper, he saw the object of his affections.

 

Miss (L/n) looked very pretty today. He noticed she wore a different shade of lipstick, she usually wears something pink. Today, she's sporting a coral one. It looked really flattering on her, he almost swooned. 

 

(Y/n) saw Eren, who was seated in the front row, having this dazed look. But she paid him no heed and instead focused on the class as a whole. The damn brat was being unattentive in class. He better not fail the surprise quiz she'll be giving. 

 

Back in the confines of her safe haven, the (h/c)-haired young teacher decided to grade papers at once to give her a longer free time later. It has been a while since she has had lunch outside. There was a new ramen house that recently opened about few blocks down the street. If she finished grading now, she can go there earlier to avoid the crowd. 

 

She has gone through half of the papers and as expected, many are having a hard time balancing equations. She kinda did way back, so it was understandable. No one has gotten a perfect score yet until she stumbled upon Jaeger's paper. Her brows raised in amusement as she checked each item. After the last number, she whistled. The kid just perfected her quiz despite slacking off in her class. Soon, she finished grading all the papers and typed each score into her excel worksheet. 

 

She sighed and stretched in her comfy chair, an early lunch sounded really really good. She was about to stand up when a knock on her door was heard. "Come in," she called. The door revealed Eren, much to her surprise. What's he doing here? Didn't they have one more class till lunch break?

 

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Maam. But I'm just curious about my quiz score. May I know if I did well?" He asked hopefully. It was funny how crude he was when he first went in and how polite he is now. Time and circumstances really change people. 

  
She scoffed.

  
"Close call, kid. You barely passed."

  
She swore she could see his soul leave his body. His shoulders slumped in disappointment and his face contorted in self-loathe. She almost snorted. 

 

He sighed deeply, clearly distraught by the news. So the all-nighter he pulled didn't pay off after all. So much for his greed. He just wanted to crawl in a hole and sulk. Then he heard her laugh. His ears perked up at the pleasant sound. 

 

"Just kidding. You got a perfect score. Good job," she confessed with a smile, seeing him glow up with pride. He grinned and jumped in the air like a gradeschooler who just won a fancy toy from a raffle game. (Y/n) just shook her head, her smile still on.

 

"So you actually listened a while ago?" She inquired in a teasing tone. She didn't think Eren does advance studies since he hardly has any time to study the current and past lessons. But nonetheless, she was glad he made notable achievement today. She picked up her wallet and chucked it in her pocket, ready to go.

 

"I did," he lied and peered at her shyly. "That's why I was excited to know how I did. It was the first time I listened firsthand and actually passed a surprise quiz right after." He blushed and fiddled with his fingers. Cute kid. She smiled, went over to him and pat his head. 

 

"Keep it up, Eren."

 

She praised him again, slowly filling his heart with pride and elation. He swore he could feel his heart jumping inside his ribcage, he was actually worried she'll hear it. A huge blush broke out on his face and he gulped, hoping it would die down before she noticed. 

 

"Oi, you're super red. You okay? Do you feel sick?" She placed a hand over his forehead and then neck to check if he got fever. Her palm felt soothingly cold against his warm skin, he found himself leaning to her touch. Too bad, she pulled away.

 

"I-I'm fine..." he mumbled while looking the other way. She sighed and rolled her eyes. 

 

"Well, I'm going out. So, out out now~," she ushered him out while she herself walked just behind him. Eren pouted, it's not even lunch time yet and she doesn't have any classes till 2. The boy got brave enough today to actually approach her in her office only to be turned away before he even had his fill. Mildly irritated and frustrated, he asked,

 

"Where are you going?" 

 

"On a date," she winked and walked off after locking her door, leaving a stunned Eren in the empty hallway. He could not believe what his ears just heard. His eyes followed her form as she turned left around a corner and completely disappeared from his sight.

 

A date? Is that why she's clocking out earlier? Where? And most importantly, with who? Does she actually have a boyfriend he doesn't know about?

 

A dark crippling feeling the brunette could interpret as intense anger and jealousy crept up his whole being, gnawing at him. The urge to strangle someone, _something_ , was strong that he unconsciously curled his fists, knuckes turning pale. He didn't know hard he had been balling his fists until he felt a sharp pain in his palms. He looked and saw blood seeping from the crescent-shaped wounds left by his nails. 

 

"This won't do...." he hissed quietly, paying no mind to the pain in his tender hands. 

 

A hand touched his shoulder causing him to snap out of his thoughts, dissolving his murderous expression and turning it into surprise. He glanced over and saw his blond friend, Armin, who was looking as worried as Mikasa who just arrived. Students started to exit their classrooms, the once empty hallways now buzzing with life. Eren immediately put his hands in his pockets. 

 

"Where have you been? You said you were going out for a bathroom break but you never came back. Mr. Gunther was a bit mad, you know," Armin worriedly inquired. Mikasa just kept silent, but was as eager as the blonde for the brunette's answer even though her face didn't reveal it much.

 

"I... I took care of something. Sorry for worrying you."

 

*****

 

Lunch break went by fast, the young teacher went back to school quite satisfied. She always loved going on food adventures, may it be in a group or going alone. If she wants to fully relish in the experience, she would go alone. Such is one of the perks of being single. (Y/n) decided she should do it again and she even talked about her experience and shared instagrammable photos in their friends' group chat. 

 

The afternoon went on lazily and soon enough, the bell rung signalling the end of classes. 'Now where is Jaeger?' she thought as she grabbed her teacher's chemistry manual and a pen which she tucked in between the pages. She craddled the manual against her chest and sat comfortably in her swivel chair, it was still a bit early to start and students still linger in their classrooms at this moment. After a few minutes, a buzz tickled her hip, making her grab the phone and check the message. 

 

[P/n]

Sorry, can't make it today. Club activities.   
{5:15 pm}

 

"Wow, I love how things are turning out today." She thought and tucked her phone back in. A huge grin broke out on her face as she threw her manual on the table and jumped up from her seat. _What a lucky day this is_ , she thought. She was able to have an early lunch and now she gets to go home early too! Several things that she can do with her free time ran through her mind. A little victory dance wouldn't hurt and that she did while she grabbed her bag ready to go home. 

 

If only she knew of the brewing storm ahead. 

 

****

 

(Y/n) kept herself busy with reading and checking product labels and if she fancies it, to the basket it went. It has been a while since the last time she ever had the chance to leisurely pick up groceries. Lately, she's been relying on the nearby convenience store for her needs and she missed planning out her to-buy list. 

 

Tonight, she's gonna be making pasta and have some wine to celebrate her early dismissal from work. Shallow but she's one to celebrate such mundane things when she can. It's already lonely enough being single and she can't rely on her family friends for constant attention and affection. Treating herself nicely does the trick somehow, but she can't help but still feel a tad bit lonely sometimes. 

 

All of a sudden, it was like a cold wave of air brushed across her skin and goosebumps appeared all over her neck and arms. She looked behind her and saw that no one was in the aisle with her. She slowly placed the can of cream in the basket and went back to shopping, paying no heed to the disturbing feeling she just felt.

 

She got out of the market feeling quite troubled. It was already 7 in the evening and thank goodness she's in a relatively safer neighborhood. Though her house was only a short walking distance, she can't shake off the need to be home ASAP. The heavy feeling still hung around and it felt like someone was watching her from the shadows. If worse comes to worst, she'll stab the fucker in the neck with her pen, that is if they don't shoot or stab her first. 

 

The whole trip, she was checking and glancing around her as she walked. She held her bag close and for good measure, she pretended to talk on the phone to give the impression that someone was waiting for her by the corner. Fumbling over her keys till she found the correct one, she hastily opened her door and went in, locking it after. 

 

Now in the safe confines of her home, she finally breathed out in relief after slumping down her couch, her bag of groceries by her side about to fall over. She called out her pet, which rubbed against her in greeting. The gentle purring made the shaken girl feel better somehow despite the weird horrifying events that happened. 

 

She has never had her heart beat that fast before. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

 

The loud whistling of the kettle brought her out of her thoughts, and in a second she was already pouring herself some hot water for her tea. Chamomile tea to calm her nerves in the morning. She never thought she'd open a bag before going to work, when it was usually reserved for her most stressful nights. (Y/n) sighed and shook her head, taking a small sip from her mug and wincing at how hot it was. Now that made her more awake. 

 

Ignoring the burning sensation on her tongue, she placed the mug down after deciding it needs about 5 minutes standing time to make the flavors diffuse and to cool it down a bit. She was already fully dressed, her blazer neatly folded beside her bag on the sofa. A soft yawn forced its way out of her lips, and with that, some tears formed from the sides of her (e/c) orbs. She spent last night without a single wink of sleep. What was supposed to be a satisfying slumber turned into a worrisome affair for her. 

 

A few days have passed since the incident and (Y/n) shrugged it off and treated it as just a one-time thing. Nothing note-worthy really happened after that, something she was very thankful for. She hypothesized that some sick weirdo just had too much time in their hands and maybe she was just unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

 

They probably get a kick from scaring off innocent people and she just happened to be there and became an accidental victim. Another point was, maybe it was just her wild imagination playing dumb tricks on her. She personally liked the second theory and has stuck to it for most of the time. 

 

Well, that's what she thought. 

 

A week after, the heavy disturbing feeling of being watched came back again. It was so sudden, it caught her off guard. It started with goosebumps forming on the skin of her neck and arms despite having a cardigan on. She has absolutely forgotten all about it and to be reminded about that grim night on such a pleasant day made her lose much confidence. She wanted to turn tail and head home as fast as she could, just keep the doors and windows shut and lock herself in her room with her cat. But she can't. Her first period is waiting for her, she can't just be a coward and selfish. Not when her students are waiting for her and expecting to learn. 

  
She remembered how she steadied her shaking legs and her slightly trembling hands gripped on her bag strap tighter. Her train should be arriving in a few minutes. Plus, there were people around. She would be fine, that's what she thought to herself. (Y/n) reassured and comforted herself, a habit she didn't know she'd be making for the days to come. Who would've known being watched in broad daylight is as horrifying as at night? 

 

Turning to the present, (Y/n) gulped down the slightly lukewarm drink, careful not to spill any on her clothes. She didnlt even bothered retouching her lipstick. Heck, she didn't even bothered much with her appearance. She just wanted to head out as early as she can. It's almost 5 am, the skies are yet to brighten. 

 

Because she's still in a denial stage, there's this silly idea in her head that maybe, it wasn't someone. Rather, something. She never saw anyone, she just assumed it was someone. It could be a paranormal entity for all she knows. If it is indeed one, breaking out of her routine and disrupting her schedule would cause no change. But if it was a person, she'd be able to take them off her back for a while, until they catch up, of course.

 

Now, locking her door with her still sleeping cat in, she headed out with caution. It was risky to be out this early with little people around, but she has to check. Truthfully, the thought of a ghostly entity seemed more pleasant and she found herself waiting and anticipating the disturbing presence. 

 

She has always thought the living is scarier and more dangerous than the dead. She was already a few blocks away from home and almost to the bus stop, and to her surprise and horror, she felt nothing. 

 

*****

 

She scurried inside the faculty room, which was actually a lounge for teachers to gather for lunch, group works or meetings. She didn't feel like being alone in her own cubicle, plus the faculty area is closer to the classrooms so she just dropped off her stuff and took her pen and manual with her.

 

She was glad that someone was already there before her since the lights are on and the curtains are pulled back allowing light and  soft breeze to come through the windows. She looked around and saw one teacher in his own table who nonchalantly looked up to meet her gaze. She smiled and waved a little to him before making her way to her table and settling her things on the surface. 

 

"Good morning, Sir Levi."

 

The said man nodded and let out a low "Likewise" before getting back to his work of grading some papers. An empty mug of what could have been tea placed beside his pen holder. Out of all the teachers in the faculty, his was the cleanest and neatest table. His office was another story. The man has always been kind of a neat freak, along with all his other characteristics that made his reputation quite notable in school.

 

(Y/n) traced the tab sticking out of her manual and flipped it open and hastily skimmed through her lessons for today. A soft yawn escaped her lips while her tired droopy eyes scanned over just the headings, she didn't have any more energy to read the smaller words. She'd rather conserve it for later. 

 

"You're surprisingly early today," he noted still dragging his pen over papers, frowning occasionally at the failures. "Did you wake up with constipation?" he followed up tonelessly. 

 

(Y/n) chuckled nervously at her raven-haired senior for a while before stuttering a "No", all the while feeling silly and shaking her head at being today's first victim of one of his poop jokes. 

 

  
"I just woke up quite early and thought, why not go to school earlier too?" A smile plastered on her face, but unfortunately it didn't hide her exhaustion well. And Levi noticed it, been noticing it for days already actually, but didn't push to pry anymore. He hummed in response before finishing the last of the papers.

 

"Finals is gonna be hell so don't go getting sick, brat."

 

She stared at him wide-eyed, he looked back with genuine concern in those steel eyes of his. Despite the cold ruthless exterior, Levi is actually a caring softie inside, much like an older brother. (Y/n) felt grateful having the opportunity to see this rare side of him, she can't help but smile. 

 

"I won't. Thank you, Sir."

 

There was a comfortable silence between them which the both of them enjoyed until Hanji Zoe came in, and soon enough more and more faculty members arrived. The room being filled with various exchanges of "good mornings" and chatter. 

 

*****

 

"Keep your quiz papers folded and wait for further instructions. Get one and pass."

 

There was silence, save for the occassional murmurs and sound of flapping pages as the students pick one quiz paper and pass the remaining to the person at the back. When everyone has a quiz paper of their own, (y/n) gave them the go signal to start. Immediately, heads dipped down and the room became more silent than before. 

  
(Y/n) sat on the teacher's chair and rested her elbows on the surface of the table. She swallowed thickly before closing her eyes and then rubbing the top of her nose bridge. She can't believe she forgot about the quiz today. If not for a few students who reminded her, she would've started another topic without even evaluating how much they've learned. Biting her inner cheek, she mentally groaned at how forgetful she was. ' _Stupid!_ ' she scolded herself. How could she even forget when she has prepared it days ago? 

 

Stiffling a tired yawn, she looked outside through the window and took notice of the nice scenery of the school's race and track field. Greenery covered the perimeter of the area and oak trees lined in regular intervals. The weather was nice, sunny with clear skies, but not hot. It was one of her favorite weathers. A perfect weather to sleep... _on the job_.... she felt her eyelids dropping and good thing she caught herself before she passed out in the middle of a quiz. 

 

Days of unrest has already started to take a toll on her, not just on her body but also on her mental health. She grimaced, if this continues it would be affecting her job. She bit her lower lip, she has to do something about this. The living entity has not done anything besides making her uncomfortable, but she wondered iwhat would happen if she takes this to the police. Would they be able help her? How should she present evidence? Should she ask for a surveillance team? Or put up her own cameras? Or will they just rule it out as psychological stress--

 

**Brrrriiiiiiingg!**

 

She almost jumped put of her skin at the sudden loud ringing of her alarm. The way she jolted from her seat like a cat doused with cold water didn't go unnoticed by the class who are now staring at her both in surprise and concern. Their eyes wide and some have their mouths gaping at how riduculous she must've looked. "Fuck," she ever so softly whispered to herself as she clutched the fabric against her chest and turned the offending alarm off. She let out a shaky breath and then cleared her throat. 

 

"Time's up. P-Pass your papers to the front."

 

That chamomile tea was useless. 

 

******

 

Eren watched (Y/n) with worried eyes as she went on autopilot, discussing today's topic like a robot. Her usual rich voice, that rises up a few pitches when she wants people to pay attention to her, now stayed almost monotone. Her eyes that usually twinkle in excitement whenever she shares a fun trivia to indifferent high school students now dull. Now that he thought about it, not even one fun trivia was thrown in. 

 

Shadows under her eyes seemed to become more prominent as days go by. And her lips don't have their usual charming smile on. Eren sighed, she looks tired and it's still early in the morning. It was a good thing he has been ditching tutorial sessions with her under the pretense of club activities; being able to go home earlier must've given her a little more breathing spell. After all, the school year ender festivities is just around the corner. Unlike other high schools that lessened school activities to give way for finals preparation, Kyojin High encourages graded extracurricular activities alongside academics. 

 

The green-eyed brunette bit his lower lip in deep thought at how he can be able to at least do something for her. Him not being present in their afternoon concourse must be putting another pound of worry on her already burdened shoulders. He twirled the pen in his hand while fixing his gaze somewhere on the board. Should he show up this afternoon and make up for the lost time? Or should he just let her rest it easy again today so she can go home early and catch some sleep? After all, he still have things to do and places to be.... Gingerly, he looked back at the young teacher and caught her staring back at him.

 

His eyes widened and a slowly growing blush crept up his face; despite being exhausted, she still looks adorable. So adorable to him. She raised her brows in confusion and tilted her head a little to the side, while still going on about the rules regarding chemical reactions. 

 

(Y/n) tried to dismiss the scarlet faced teenager by glancing over the whole class instead, but she realized the brunette looked like a flustered puppy staring at her in wonder. It was like those vibrant green eyes of his are begging for attention. She sighed and ruffled his hair as she walked down the middle aisle to bring attention to dozing off students. 

 

It was a silent ' _Stop spacing out, boy_.'

 

Now sporting a full-blown blush, Eren quickly looked down, embarrassed at being caught staring for too long. He could hear his heart thumping so loud against his chest through his ears. No one from the back could probably tell how much he's flushing but his red ears were a dead giveaway. Good thing everyone was either too busy listening or doing something else to notice. 

 

" _Sensei_ noticed me," Eren bashfully thought, but later on cringed at how icky and cheesy that sounded. Still, he couldn't help but mentally sigh at how romantic that gesture was, like it was straight from a shoujo manga people from his age group read. Butterflies went fluttering inside his stomach once again, overwhelming him and so he forced himself to keep it down. 

 

Perhaps Miss (L/n) was worried about him falling behind again, with him daydreaming and dazing off when he should be focusing on her lessons. By this, almost all of his giddiness was gone and was instead replaced by guilt.

 

Perhaps Miss (L/n) was worried about him falling behind again, with him daydreaming and dazing off when he should be focusing on her lessons. Almost overran with guilt, Eren tried to cling to the giddy feeling by feeding himself with all the sweet fantasies he could muster. Now's not the time to be negative and feel down, no. Now's the time to feel happy and  grateful, to be thankful she even gave him attention despite being an elusive fool these days. 

 

Although, he deems being absent to do far more important things as necessary, he still can't help but feel bad. It's not that he's slacking off from studying, he is actually doing more of that. Again, setting certain things as top priority is what's in his mind at the moment. 

 

He pretended to listen, as to not worry his dear teacher anymore. After all, she seems to be having too much on her plate right now. 

 

******

  
Afternoon slowly rolled in and by the clock struck 5, she was already in her own office and about to slump into her swivel chair when suddenly, a ping! was heard from her phone. Tapping it to life, she admired the funny face of her pet cat as her wallpaper before swiping down to see the message preview. It was from Jaeger. 

  
**[P/n]**

"Good afternoon! I was wondering if we could meet this afternoon. I'm having a bit of a problem in our previous topic. But it's okay if you're not able to :)"  
{5:05 pm}

 

She crinkled her nose and let out a contemplative hum. The first thought she had was the fear of going home later, walking home in the dark with someone observing her every move and the heavy disturbing feeling. But on a second note, going home early never really stopped the stalker (or whatever it is) from following her around. Thankfully it hasn't followed her to school yet. Perhaps the presence of security guards and cameras and the large number of people threw the stalker off. 

 

She'd feel bad not meeting the teen, he has been quite preoccupied with other school activities, barely having any time to meet up with her to study. But good thing, he has been able to meet the standards. There were occassional dips but all in all, he's been doing well without her guidance. 

  
Finals is about to enter the hell zone and she can't afford to continue favoring one. She should conclude their tutorial sessions soon. She's sure he'll be fine on his own now. 

  
She sent an "okay" in reply and proceeded to pick up her essentials. 

  
*******

  
Eren grinned down at the reply. Perhaps, an afternoon spent with him would do her some good. He won't bother her too much, he'll just check up on her and maybe do a little catching up. It has been a while after all, and he missed having her around with just the two of them. He has managed to send off Armin and Mikasa a little while ago although he did have some problem doing so. Sometimes he gets an irk from time to time, with their clinginess and all that. Can't they just leave him alone when he needs them to? 

 

He sighed and just hummed a nice tune as he picked up (Y/n)'s favorite drink from the vendo machine. She's been wearing herself out too much these past few days, hasn't she? Poor (Y/n) getting all anxious and forgetful. Maybe little good deeds would cheer her up even for just a bit. Eren smiled even wider as he made his way to the decided lecture room. 

 

With all the discretion and secret meetings, he can't help but imagine how the whole thing about them looks like. It's as if they're having a secret love affair. And that one kiss they shared, even if he was the one who initiated it (he likes to think she tempted him to do so), he remembered every second of it. That first moment of intimacy between them that sends him shaking in pleasure every night under the sheets. 

 

He looked down at the growing bulge in his pants and quietly groaned. He can't meet her like this... 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren's line of thought is pretty much all over the place sometimes but one thing's for sure. Eren baby boy is gonna be one delusional weirdo pining for reader-chan. Teehee~


	5. Chapter 5

 

* * *

 

 

 

(Y/n) contentedly sipped on her favorite drink that Eren thoughtfully brought her. To think that he bothered to take into account something as insignificant as that was really sweet of him. Though the teen was late, the warm honeyed smile he gave her when he came through the door seemed to dispel whatever bothersome feeling she was having.

 

She watched the brunette who is currently doing exercises on his notebook. It's been a while since she has felt this peaceful and this normal. The past few days have been nothing but unpleasant and she wished to go back to the time when all she ever found bothersome were crowded lunch places and going home late.

 

She bit her lip lightly, softly nibbling on it before letting go. Her soft breath escaped her mouth as she tried to not think too much about the recent events. It was futile when it was all she could ever think about. It plagued her thoughts all day every day no matter how much she tries to divert her attention to other things like school work and student gossip. Yes. Even gossip. She tried not to think about home for it only places a deep disturbing feeling within her.

 

Even her home is not a safe place anymore. Lately, she has noticed peculiar things such as few of her locks' screws getting loose, her small potted window cactus being displaced and her door step rag moved in a different position from where she last put it. As someone who puts things in particular positions, this raised her alarm bells in such a startling rate. They were signs that someone has been trying to get in or maybe, they already have. So far, nothing's been stolen. But it has been keeping her up on most nights, along with the feeling of being followed.

 

Now she's completely lost focus but her gaze was still fixated on him. It didn't take long for the male to notice her far off stare, which made him gulp and blush. There was really something sensual about the way her eyes looked all dazed and lazy like that.

 

"M-Miss (L/n)? A-Are you okay?"

 

It took a few seconds for her to let his question sink in before she snapped out of her daze and blinked at him in a temporary state of surprise. She felt sheepish getting caught in such state and successfully fought off a blush of her own. She just keeps embarrassing herself these days, doesn't she?

 

"Huh? Ah, yes. Sorry, I kinda spaced out back there. Uhm, are you done?" she asked, trying to act as if spacing out is very normal, her eyes darting away in slight nervousness.

 

He chose to ignore the question and stared at her worriedly; this made her squirm in her seat lightly. He has completely stopped writing and has put down his pen, chanelling his full attention to her. Never had she been under intense scrutiny with those big green eyes that seemed to bore into her. They seemed stare right into her soul. As if he knows something of hers. She didn't know if she finds that disturbing or comforting.

 

Then she saw him bit his lip and looked down, as if contemplating on what he is about to say. Face still bearing that perturbed expression, he looked back at her and with concern he spoke,

 

"Teacher, you've been a bit different these past few days and I can tell something's bothering you."

 

Her breath hitched, and again she was reminded of the pressing problem she was trying to blur out at the present. She sighed mentally, just how worst is she becoming? First, a co-teacher, now even a student noticed. She felt frustrated at how badly she's managing herself and the situation. Eren noticed the stressed out frown forming on her face and immediately became flustered.

 

"I-I didn't mean to pry, but Miss (Y/n) I'm seriously worried about you. D-Do you want to talk about it?" Where he was getting the courage to ask her was beyond him. He was usually confident, but for some reason he has to squeeze it out of his nerves when it comes to her. He realized being too bold could make her upset, like last time.

 

For a moment, she just remained there staring at him and trying to feel the depth of his words. Something about that tugged at her heart. If people did notice that something's wrong with her, no one really bothered to check up on her or even asked what's going on. She never really told anyone anything, fearful of being judged.

 

Why would anyone stalk her? She isn't even a bit interesting appearance and personality- wise. She's just a plain old boring soon-to-be spinster who happens to love cats and food. Hell, she doesn't even truly like teaching and chemistry but she stuck to this job to pay for her bills. She's not even supposed to be a teacher. That's just how bland she is.

 

_Was this some kind of a joke?_

 

Or maybe... it wasn't about taking an interest on her after all. For all she knew, someone could be out there to hurt her....

 

"I-I'm alright. Just a bit tired is all. Don't worry kiddo," she reassured him with a smile, but he wasn't buying it. He pursed his lips together and his brows furrowed. He's taking his chances now. _Once more_. He stood from his seat, which surprised her, and walked to where she was. (Y/n) gripped on the arm rest as he kneeled down in front of her just like a father would come down to the level of his child.

 

"You've been nothing but kind to me and because of you I've been doing so much better. You saved me and I can never be more thankful." For some reason, she let him grasped her smaller hands into his and stared deep into her eyes. "If you need someone to talk to, anything, please. Just know you can count on me."

 

He's so kind, so gentle and comforting. (Y/n) could only bite her lip to stop it from quivering. The urge to just let it all out was just too much. He squeezed her hands tighter but not enough to hurt; it made her feel safe. But she remembered Eren is just a kid, a few years junior to her. Yet she found herself wanting to seek comfort from him. And she shouldn't. Still, (Y/n) felt really grateful nonetheless.

 

"That means so much to me. Thank you Eren," she freed her hands away, only to put it on top of his. Her eyes seemed to twinkle as she smiled down at him in appreciation and gratefulness, something he has never seen her do before. An undeniable warm feeling started to ignite within him, bubbling and swirling, firing him up.

 

Eren relished the feeling of her warm soft hands on his. She smiled at him, she reciprocated his touch, all on her own! He could only dream of this and now it's all happening. He felt warm, no... hot all of a sudden. A bead of sweat started to form on his temple and he had the urge to wipe it away but he can't - he won't because he doesn't want to let go of her hands.

 

"I'm just having a bit of trouble these days, but it's getting all sorted out now. Don't worry anymore, alright?"

 

Yes, she shouldn't. Like her, he has a lot on his plate too. He has his own problems to take care of. He doesn't need to be bothered by her or anything not school-related; all he has to do is be a good student and pass finals. He'll be a senior next year and an aspiring honor student at that. Just a little more and he'll hopefully be graduating with flying colors and move on with his life. That's all he really needs to think of till then.

 

Eren bit back a frustrated sigh. The once boiling pot of feelings was suddenly reduced to a mere simmer. Of course nothing's being sorted out, she's telling white lies again. She just didn't want him getting worried about her, as if he could help it. Did she think he can't take it? That she can't rely on him? That he's not capable of being her support?

 

Oblivious to the brunette's inner conflict, she breathed out and let go of his hands. He mentally whined at the loss of warmth, he had to stop himself from snatching her hands back.

 

"Let's just go back to studying okay? By the way, final exams are fast approaching," for some reason, she felt a little bad concluding their almost 2 month-long tutoring. It has to end now. Besides, he's doing great. Not anymore wounded, she's ready to let the little chick fly once again.

 

"Eren, you've been showing great results. It's time to wrap all this up. It's been fun ya know. Tiring but fun nonetheless. I wish you and your batch good luck," she lightly bid farewell.

 

But Eren's feelings are anything but light. His bright eyes darkened and a sense of cold dread draped over his entirety. _Oh right_. These secret meetings have to end somehow. That's what they agreed to. He can't believe he used to want all this to end the soonest time possible. Back then, he didn't know he'd come to cherish every day with her.

 

A dull pain enveloped his chest. It was like a heavy chain was thrusted into his heart; it hurt and it felt weighty. Even though it was getting harder to breathe, he managed to pull off a charming smile. He'll just find time to see her as much as he can.

 

"2 months has gone so fast. I can't believe it has finally come to this. Thank you very much for your help, Miss (Y/n). I couldn't have made it without you," he told her, his voice happy and thankful and not even an ounce of bitterness leaked. She grinned and affectionately patted his head with his notebook she just picked up from the desk.

 

"Told you, it was all you. You're quite smart, you know that? Just remember all the tips I gave you about studying. I hope they can be helpful in the future."

 

He nodded, "I'll remember. Thank you."

 

"By the way, Miss (Y/n)..."

 

She glanced up from the page she was checking, pretty glad that so far she has not encountered any mistakes. "What is it?" she urged him to continue.

 

The emerald-eyed boy looked down shyly and peered at her beneath his long abundant lashes. (Y/n) mentally cooed, Eren can be such a sweet cute boy even though he's taller than her.

 

"If... If ever you're in trouble, please don't hesitate to tell me. I will help out as much as I can. _Please_."

 

As much as she wanted to tell him not to worry anymore, she just can't find it in her heart to refuse. It was like having a younger brother who is trying his best to be of help. So adorably helpful and concerned. She wondered if this must be the feeling of having a younger sibling. She chuckled and ruffled his hair for a moment and beamed at him.

 

"Alright - alright, will do. Thanks, Eren," and she withdrew her hand.

 

" **Promise me**."

 

She raised a brow and laughed, he's such a persistent little brat. (Y/n) nodded in response.

 

"I promise. Now go seat down while I finish checking your work. Then we'll discuss."

 

He grinned and did what he was told.

 

Oh, he'll make sure she'll reach out for him. And once all his plans are set, she will be the one depending on him. And he'll be there for her, just like how she has been for him.

 

********

 

Eren cheerfully waved good bye to his teacher as she walked through the school gates. As soon as she blended with the small crowd of outgoing students and slowly left his sight, the bouyant smile he has on slowly vanished from his face. Before long, a slight smirk started to replace it, along with the advent of less than innocent thoughts.

 

He let out a sigh and smugly smiled to himself as he grabbed his phone and tapped it to life. With her routine memorized by heart, he knew she spends an average of 15 minutes in walking to the nearest bus stop. She always walks the same street, unless she picks up grocery from the nearest supermarket, which happens once a week. It was pretty easy to blend in with people especially in trains and crowded places. He has been quite skilled in following her around with him hiding in the shadows too.

 

_(He walks swiftly, each step calculated and with purpose. Skillfully blending in with the crowd for a little while before slipping out into the background and out of sight....)_

 

He knows what train she gets on, how long the ride is and where she gets off. From the station, she walks home for another 15 minutes or so. Before getting home, there's a decent convenience store she sometimes buy a few stuff from. The store also sells her favorite drink and from his observation, she buys by pack that usually lasts for a week. Lately, she's been into a certain brand of salted potato chips which Eren decided to try, and it was good.

 

_(Like a distant shadow, he moves as she goes. The platform quaked as the incoming train drew closer. Green orbs observant of every movement, focusing not only on the target but also on the sphere as a whole....)_

 

Then it's all straight to her house after that, no fuss, no other detours and only rare interactions with occasional friendly neighbors. It was fairly easy to be out of the scene. The road was lined with trees owing to the eco-friendly environment that her neighborhood imposes, slipping into the shadows of the looming trees while keeping an eye on her was a breeze. Much to his luck, the neighborhood was quiet and peaceful most of the time and no passers by caught him chilling out on a tree a few meters away from her house.

 

_(Ah, there she is.... Like an expert, he fluidly moved in between bodies, squeezing into tight spaces and mindful of the safe distance he has established. He needed to be far yet close enough.)_

 

As the (h/c)-haired woman gets in, a faint sound of meowing can be heard. That was her pet cat which he often sees on her phone screen. Eren felt glad connecting the dots and finally seeing what her life is like outside the walls of the school. The nights he spent imagining what it must be like couldn't compare to what he is actually witnessing now.

 

_(Leaning by the window, a meter and 3 people away from her, he pretended to casually read a grammar booklet. Chocolate locks served as curtain over his watchful gaze at the young oblivious woman who is holding on the handrail with her earphones on.)_

 

Even her morning routine was monotonous and with simple arithmetic and common sense, he was able to make out her most probable wake-up time. When he was able to come over to his hideout, it turned out he was right. He remembered feeling so giddy while watching through his binoculars from the tree he's in.

 

_(Announcement of arrival was made, people started to move and file in front of the designated exits. He lags not far from behind.)_

 

He was fortunate it gave him a good view of her window and it made him see her going up and about. He can't see much though so he made estimations. She wakes up, get in the bath, fix breakfast, feed cat, and go out... all in 2 hours. Sometimes with an extra 30 minutes when she does something more with her makeup or hair.

 

_(The (h/c)-haired woman bolted out as soon as she stepped on the platform, much to his amusement. **Quite the perceptive little lady, isn't she?** He smiled fondly and sighed before following suit.)_

 

She is modestly simple; almost having a monotonous life, it wasn't hard to follow her day-to-day activities and pattern of life. So far, he has established a stable time table of her routine, all in a matter of less than a month. He got her all figured out, and even that mean little lie of hers. She has been single for years and so far, no men have really been lurking around her in and out of school much to his relief.

 

_(He saw her go to the opposite direction of her home and wondered where she's going. It was not the day for shopping nor picking up grocery. He wondered what she's up to.)_

 

He was glad he wasted no time in going after her that fateful afternoon. He felt threatened and he panicked at the thought of her being with someone else. It just cannot be. Her paying attention to someone else never sat well with Eren.

 

_(Realization dawned on him and his lips parted slightly in surprise. She was trying to shake him off her back! He knew she has long noticed his presence, but to try and trick him to get away... **what a silly (Y/n)**. He chuckled to himself. **So that's what it was all about this morning. Naughty girl**.)_

 

With everything that has happened: her lying and causing him hand wounds, ending their alone time together, being stressed for no reason at his attempts to learn more about her, and now trying to trick him... he isn't one to keep grudges, but maybe, just maybe, he'll keep a record of these... misbehaviors. Though he doubts he can hold it against her for too long. She's just too sweet for her own good. Maybe a little punishment or two to tease her a bit... or perhaps to push her to the proper direction will do. Then, she'll be able to fulfill her promise. 

 

  
He chuckled at her measly attempts to get into a small plaza and acting like she's in a game of hide-and-seek, getting all riled up and looking around cautiously. She can get so adorable sometimes that it's hard to keep his sweet gentle exterior up. For the nth time today, he let out a sigh and once again pulled out his phone to text his father he will be coming home late from club activities.

 

* * *

 

 

Finally revised and out! Yandere baby boy Eren is finally showing his true colors! Thanks for all the kind words of appreciation! Love y'all! 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren's descent towards obsession and madness...

 

* * *

 

 

_"I'm going on a date."_

 

It was just one simple sentence lightheartedly spoken, yet (Y/n) could have never fathomed the impact it had on the young brunette as she offhandedly walked out with a bounce in her steps, leaving Eren almost crippled with icy trepidation.

 

That mere statement made effortlessly to mean no harm did more than just tease him. It was never taken lightly, not even as a joke. It threatened him, made him worried... no, scared for reasons he will soon fully come into terms with.

 

For a moment, he was frozen with fear and hopelessness. For that moment, the young mentor seemed so far from of his reach. Hell, he was just holding her, kissing her weeks ago... how could she be with someone else? Then it turned into bitter resentment, not against her... no, but maybe he did harbor a slight amount for her but he could never hate her for long. He was mad and most especially, **jealous**. A fire of dark desire ignited within him.

 

 _"I'm going on a date."_ And she winked. Her cheeks slightly flushed. And her pretty eyes twinkled. It wasn't for him. She was slipping away. ' _No, it can't be_ '. He never saw it coming. She never appeared to be invested in other people. That's why he found himself lucky, special even, to be able to be with her. _'I will be left behind if I don't..._ ' he didn't even bother finishing the desperate thought.

 

The first instinct he had was to reach out and grab into nothingness, figuratively. He needed to do something. His chest was hurting with apprehension, anger and jealousy. Already missing her as she left him alone in the empty cold hallway, he balled his fists so hard it drew blood. **Just who the fuck could that person be?** He needed to see, to know, to find out who they were.

 

After the fury came sadness along with the realization of their differences. Cold reality slapped him in the face. Again, he was reminded that she was his teacher and he was just her student. He was just one of the many brats she teaches chemistry to. He was not special after all....

 

But then again, out of all the brats that came to her asking for help... he was the only one who succeeded to win her over. _'That actually says something now, doesn't_ _it?'_ And that deduction coiled the already twisted thoughts and feelings brewing within him all the more.

 

Of course he was special to her. (Y/n) can be mean and unfeeling at times but underneath that hard exterior is a warm loving person he sometimes get to see. With the way she is as a person, being so professional and doing everything by the book, surely all those little actions of 'affection' she did for him meant something.

 

She just wouldn't admit it or maybe she hasn't realized it yet, being principled and all that. Not that he dislikes her for it, it just made her more adorable to him. She's quite a tsundere and he loves her like that. Although sometimes it's frustrating to see her distance herself from him even in the absence of other people.

 

_God damn, he wanted to stranggle someone to death. He seriously needed to calm down._

 

Maybe the thought of him being her student, a minor, deterred her from being affectionate. He fully understands that it can be a problem. Eren wouldn't want to get her in trouble. In a year, he would be of legal age and there would be no problem at all. A year isn't that long. Perhaps she's not fond of waiting and settled with trying to find someone 'fitting' instead.

 

He can relate, he was never the patient type. He almost always acted on impulse, always aggressive and determined on doing things on his own way. Thanks to his friends, Mikasa and Armin, he learned how to control himself and keep away from trouble.

 

He wanted to tell her that it's okay to wait. He isn't going anywhere. And he has all his sights and attention on her and her only. Miss (Y/n) needed not to worry a thing about him getting whisked away by someone else. He maybe a hot-blooded hormone-driven young man for now, but he sure knows how to be fiercely loyal.

 

And if she can't handle waiting like the impatient spoiled adorable queen she is, he can always spoil and lavish her with all the love and attention she wants in secret. No one has to know... not until graduation. He can be discrete; he will be for the both of them, therefore she doesn't need anyone else.

 

He then went back to the thought of her going out with someone else and visibly frowned. ' _This won't do.'_ They already established some sort of relationship. Although unofficial and unclear, it's a foundation good enough for them to build on something more. He needs to do something about this situation, fast. _His eyes darkened._ And the first on his list is to know who she's going out with.

 

******

 

The alone time he gained from skillfully shaking his friends off his back proved to be enough to discover something that brought about a feeling he can't quite describe.

 

  
(Y/n) (L/n) is single. She hasn't dated anyone for a few years, and she won't be anytime soon -- he'll make sure of that. With how advanced technology is nowadays, digging her up had been a breeze. It was quite enjoyable looking through information about her and he questioned himself why he hasn't thought of doing it sooner.

 

  
The 'date' she was talking about earlier was all a lie. He can't decide what to feel first: relief, annoyance, excitement, or happiness. Maybe he'll feel everything in a messy mixture all at once. A small smile tugged on his lips as he scrolled down her latest instagram entries. One very recent, just a few minutes ago, is of the newly opened restaurant just a few blocks down.

 

She went on a lunch date with herself, took artistic shots of the place and her food, and made a review about it. Actually, Eren found her account similar to a blog. She has reviews of many things she comes across: food, various products, places, establishments, etc. He hummed in appreciation, _so this is one of the things she does outside school._

He then came across photos of herself, family and cat. He smiled at her smiles; she looked so happy, sometimes silly, in her pictures. Lucky for him, she didn't set her social media accounts into private, enabling him to investigate to his heart's content.

 

He feels a little mad though; this could be an invitation to weirdos out there to ogle at her and know about her anytime. When they're finally together, he'll make sure to change that. She can be so careless sometimes. With a dummy account, he followed her everywhere and even sent her a friend request since she doesn't seem to accept students. This way, he can keep tabs on her since she seems active online.

 

Still, he can't believe he fell for her little trick. She got him all riled up for nothing! The green-eyed teen wasn't just mad about being lied to, no. It runs a little deeper than that. It just shows how little he knows about her. And he claims he to love her. How presumptious of him! Daily observations at school aren't enough. Oh no. They just won't do anymore. He needs to know more. Scratch that. He needs to know everything about her.

 

  
After all, you have to know everything about the person you like in order to love and care for them the best way you can, right? And that was how Eren decided to slip into this madness a little further down the abyss.

 

  
********

 

He has never felt adoration for anyone as strongly as he does now. It was a completely foreign feeling, yet very much welcomed. It made him feel alive, it made him feel more than just the every day excitement he usually has, and most of all it made him do things he never thought of doing until now.

 

Right after the bell rang, he swiftly slipped out of class and out of the gates like the athletic being that he is. It made him regretfully sad to not meet her that afternoon but he has to make sacrifices. He sent her a text saying he can't make it due to club activities. Surely, she'll understand. **It's not like he'll be far away from her.**

A mixture of anxiety, fear and excitement was eating at him as he fluidly moved like a phantom after her when she passed through the school's gates. His emerald eyes widened with adoration as he watched his female teacher get into the grocery section with a basket in her arm. To see her so focused on reading product labels and contemplating about her choices like the academician she is was such a treat to him.

 

The cute way she tilted her head and the way she slightly bit her lower lip whenever she's having a hard time choosing between brands made his heart flutter. She can be so critical about trivial things sometimes, it was adorable. He then began imagining getting groceries with her as a boyfriend, or maybe even as a husband. A pleasurable tingle coursed through him. He sighed at the wonderful vision.

 

"Oh stop being so cocky Eren. It's still too soon, geez," he thought to himself, unable to hold off the blush rushing to his cheeks.

 

Still, he can't help but dream about it. The more he thought about it, the more he grew determined on accomplishing his mission. Each step will bring him closer to that dream.

 

He was so engrossed in his fantasies that he failed to see the discomfort in the object of his affections.

 

*******

  
He made sure she made it home safe and made a mental note to escort her home as much as possible from now on. He glanced down at his watch and took notice of his vibrating phone. It has been buzzing silently since he got out of school. It was probably Mikasa or Armin. It was still too early for his father to be worried enough to text him. He sighed. He better plan everything so he carry out his plans smoothly.

 

He can't have his friends worry too much about his changing behavior. Sets of well thought-out excuses and a good plotted schedule should be devised so he can slip out anytime he needed to without them suspecting a thing. Doing this every day wouldn't be feasible. Plus, he got school work to worry about. He'll have to be well-rounded to show (Y/n) he's doing fine. That way, she wouldn't have to worry. He'll ace finals for her.

 

With a satisfied smile, he started to head home. He was productive today. This was just the start of so many nights like this. Soon enough, even mornings.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mature content ahead

 

* * *

 

 

It is one of those peaceful nights that Eren has grown to love and be thankful for. As a lover of being outdoors, he appreciates the quiet time with nature and its little wonders: the soft chirping of crickets singing their night time lullabies, the cool breeze, the soft light by the twinkling stars and the waxing moon, and the feeling of the rough bark against his back as he sat on a sturdy branch of the tree he's on.

 

It's been hours since he has been lounging on the tree like it was some comfy couch. He thought of bringing a wool blanket with him to lay over the rough surface of the bark to lessen the aching of his back since he spends hours sitting on it. Or maybe build a tree house on it.

 

It's become his favorite tree, the one with best location from (Y/n)'s house, since it offered him the best view of her bedroom's window. He scoffed at his thoughts, if he can't endure this much then what right does he have to be with her?

 

Besides, he can't leave any traces of him behind. Though these regular activities of him have become a habit, he knows these aren't what society would call normal. He rolled his eyes; it's not like he's doing anything wrong. He's just studying her. In order to truly love something, you have to study it, understand it, be immersed in it. And that applies to people. Besides, he's watching over her.

 

She lives alone in her dead grandparents' house with just a cat, a snobby cat at that. The world can be a dangerous place, especially in trains. Escorting her (without her knowledge) and seeing that she gets home safe and sound is a plus. That's hitting two birds with one stone. Although he wants to find more benefits from following her around. "Hitting many birds with one stone" sounds really nice to him. He laughed at his corny joke.

 

Speaking of her cat, the damn animal hissed at him when he visited her house a few days ago. It was a saturday and (Y/n) was out for a faculty meeting, making it a great day to do some checking up. He wasn't able to get in despite being able to pull out the screws off the locks since the moment he was able to open her window, the cat angrily hissed and scratched at him almost knocking the potted cactus to the floor. He was able to catch it in time though with his quick reflexes.

 

He wasn't sure if he has gotten too loud, but a neighborhood dog started barking therefore alerting the rest of the dogs in the area. He panicked, shut the window and reattached all the screws in a hurry. He cursed at his luck and hoped she wouldn't find out. He fled from the scene in a jiffy. Since then, he has vowed to be more careful and discrete. As much as he wanted to throw the bastard cat in a creek, he wouldn't. (Y/n) would get very sad and he doesn't want that.

 

He yawned and stretched. It's almost 9 pm but he didn't want to go home yet. Luckily for him, he was able to record her voice during class. It has become a new habit of his and it was useful in many ways. He popped on his earphones and played today's recording. Ah, acting as her guard and studying, he can get used to this.

 

He was engrossed with mental work when suddenly a silhouette appeared near her lighted window with the curtains pulled back. It was (Y/n). The brunette paused the audio and pulled out his binoculars. He watched as the young woman sat on her bed, her back facing him. But with her dresser in front of her, the wide mirror showed him a reflection of her that he could only fantasize in his wildest dreams.

 

His emerald eyes widened and his lips parted in awe at the scene unfolding in front of him. (Y/n) started unbuttoning her baggy night blouse and Eren could only stare; he even forgot to breathe for a moment. His hands shook as she lay there bare for him to see. (Size) breasts bounced a bit as she readjusted her position to be more comfortable with her pillows.The young woman kicked her panties away and proceeded to rub her thighs together and he could see her part her lips in an inaudible sigh.

 

As if afraid that someone's watching, (Y/n) stood up to turn off the lights which disappointed him at first. But to his relief, she turned on the lampshade on her bedside table. It gave out a soft glow that made her more alluring in the darkened room.

 

Eren gulped as she cupped her breast and started massaging it, occassionally tweaking a nipple. Soon, her other hand began caressing her soft stomach before trailing down to the area between her parted legs. ' _Oh god, (Y/n)_ ,' he groaned as he felt his pants getting tight. He can't believe she's doing this. What is running through her mind right now? Who is she thinking of? Is she thinking of him? ' _Do you ever think of me this way, (Y/n)?'_

 

He knew he should stop watching by now. He didn't want to be a pervert and if he was to be honest, he would gladly be contented with just thoughts of her. But this is an opportunity too good to miss.

 

He took in the way her face flushed despite the minimum glow the light provided, the way her eyes fogged with pleasure and the way she licked her lips as she silently gasped and moaned at every flick of her fingers. Eren wanted to be there with her so much, so much that it hurt.

 

"It hurts..." he softly breathed out as he unzipped his pants with one hand while the other still holding up his binoculars. He felt guilty and dirty, yes, but he can't help but indulge into the perverted pleasure presented before him. He's only human, and humans have needs. As much as he doesn't want to, he can't refuse this blessing being bestowed upon him.

 

He whispered heartfelt apologies as he took out his hardened cock and started to pleasure himself. Seeing her writhing in bliss as her face twisted in pleasure filled his heart with lustful joy and in turn, heightened his own thrill. In his mind, he saw himself being there trapping her beneath him, and loving her with all his might.

 

Upon seeing (Y/n) reach her own orgasm which ended with her shaking and coming undone on her sheets, Eren quickened his ministrations and followed shortly after. His eyes clenched shut at the incoming orgasm. The brunette shuddered and bit his lip so hard as he came, thick warm cum spurted in his palm when his hand caught it just in time.

 

He watched her fondly as she collapsed in bed from exhaustion, chest heaving as she steadied her breathing. He did too. Panting, Eren looked at his soiled hand before wiping it inside his jacket. Guess he's got laundry to do later. He then saw (Y/n) yawn and roll to her side, finally letting sleep consume her without even rebuttoning her blouse. He smiled, hopefully she'll sleep better tonight. She seemed so tired these days; he is too with all the things he's been doing. But it puts him at ease so he can't really complain.

 

" _I tired you out, didn't I?_ " He whispered lovingly as he set down his eye piece. He couldn't help but find the shared intimacy between them beautiful. Someday they can physically be with each other. He'll hold her close and kiss her head while they bask in the afterglow of their deed; she'll never feel cold and lonely again.

 

" **Good night, (Y/n). Sleep well.** "

 

*******

 

It didn't take long for Eren to pack up and go home. With one last longing look at her window, he hopped off and stalked down the street leading out of the quiet neighborhood. As much as he wants her to feel at ease and enjoy her alone time, he is getting more and more impatient. He's been following her for weeks now and each day, his longing for her only grows. The spectacle he so delightfully witnessed tonight only served to fuel ever raging desire to be with her.

 

  
He needs to pick up his pace, he thought. Although he loves taking his sweet time watching her, time doesn't really stop for him. The days go on and it will only be a matter of time till someone comes along and snatches her away, given how compassionate she is once the right buttons are pushed.

 

The brunette pulled his hoodie over his head and kept his head low as he walked under a lamp post. The way the artificial light casted a shadow on his form made him look like a lithe predator in the shadows. Green eyes visibly darkened at the thought of her giving attention to another student.

 

Once he enters senior year, it won't be easy keeping in contact with her on a mere former student-teacher level anymore. (Y/n) doesn't have any classes with the seniors and just thinking about it is making his eye twitch in irritation. Approaching her with the intention outside greetings would be very odd. Soon, she'll have nothing to do with him at all.

 

He imagined a bright-eyed sophomore coming to (Y/n) for help, ensnaring her heart with their charming smile, and tricking her into helping them. They'll spend private afternoons together and soon, Eren would be replaced and long forgotten. The thought was more than enough to make his blood boil.

 

He really, _really_ , needs to take bigger bolder steps from now on.

 

Finally nearing the station gates, he took out his phone only to see that it's already past 11 and there were 3 missed calls from his dad. His brows furrowed. _Did he come home already?_ His shift in the hospital should end tomorrow at 7. Chucking his phone back in, he walked faster towards the station gates and saw only a few people boarding and leaving.

 

When he was able to get on, he searched for an empty seat which isn't really hard to spot, owing to the significantly lower amount of passengers at this time of night. He settled on one near the door and tucked his hands on his jacket's front pocket but not before putting on his earphones. The train ride was quiet, save for the occasional shuffles of people in their seats here and there and the sound of the metal rails as the train speeds through.

 

It's peaceful, like every night he goes home from (Y/n)'s. He's systematized a good schedule that lets him execute his regular trips while still keeping up with school. It's taxing, but not so much that it drains him down. He still has the energy to work out when he gets home. Eren instinctively pumped his fists inside his pockets. A short session in boxing would be nice.

 

His eyes scanned the area he's in, healthcare professionals in scrubs, late night office workers, a drunk man, few college students on their smart phones and a... _familiar face_. Eren raised a brow at the man reading a book quietly a few meters away from him.

 

Raven hair styled in a neat undercut and black-rimmed glasses over serious silver eyes. Eren gulped. It was Mr. Ackerman from his school! _What the fuck._ He bent his head lower in hopes to conceal his identity. _Shit, what is he doing here? Does he always board this train?_ He started to panic when he felt the teacher lift his head up to shoot him a glance and the brunette could only feel his face turning pale.

 

If he recognizes Eren and somehow mentions it to (Y/n)... His heart clenched for a while before hammering against his chest like crazy. He didn't even want to think about it. **_Sit still, pretend to be asleep. Fuck, stop staring at me._** He prayed until the stoic teacher turned his attention back to his book, much to his relief.

 

*******

 

Bullets of sweat ran from his temples down to his neck, completely soaking the thin fabric of his shirt as he delivered few last punches to the sand bag. His muscles, slender yet well-defined, rippled underneath his shirt as he worked. After giving the final blow, Eren slowly eased his form as panted to catch his breathe. Soon, he unwrapped the bandages from his arms and knuckles and carelessly threw them on the floor.

 

It wasn't just plain working out for him, it became a way for him to channel all his anger at the sudden unforeseen problems. Of course, the teachers as adults have the freedom to do whatever they want with their time outside the school's premises. That short man could be out drinking or whatever, he didn't seem intoxicated though. Still, it pissed him off to see the male teacher reading innocently on the train with him.

 

Teachers and classmates could be roaming around near (Y/n)'s area and it would be a problem if someone catches him doing what he does. Even just recognizing him roaming about could point clues to him, especially when his plans start to take action. Again, he wasn't doing anything wrong, but people have different perceptions when it comes to taking care of others and they can be quite _judgemental_. He needs to be even more careful from now on. It was good that he invested much thought on his disguises whenever he ventures out.

 

The black-haired teacher got off the train before brunette and Eren was sure Levi didn't recognize him. But still, the worry gnawed at his nerves. " _Calm down, Eren. He didn't know it was you. You're okay. It's okay_ ," he chanted to himself as he removed his soaked shirt over his head and placed it in the laundry basket along with his clothes from awhile ago.

 

His toned torso glistened with sweat under the overhead lights of his small private gym. He had enough for today and tiredness crept up his being. He went in for a nice warm shower to wash away all the exhaution. He's looking forward to a good night's sleep. His calloused fingers tenderly kneaded the muscles on his temples, neck and back as warm water delightfully hit his skin.

 

He can feel his mind clearing and soon thoughts of (Y/n) began to fill his head once again. His thoughts wandered back to her luscious breasts and thighs, her wet lips begging to be ravaged by him and her sweet sweet womanhood just waiting for him to explore. He let out a shudder, he can feel himself getting hard again.

 

Eren let a moan erupt from his lips as his hand gripped firmly around his member. Now in the confines of his abode, the brunette felt it right to utter her name as much as he wanted. He didn't even feel an ounce of shame and guilt he once had as he got lost in his lustful euphoria. His fist curled hard against the adjacent wall while his hand jacked himself off to oblivion. It felt so right calling out her name, whispering the things he'd love to do to her, and many more.

 

With a growl, he let himself cum and this time, he made sure he made a mess of the wall and floor. He watched the running water wash away the evidence of his deed and he proceeded to clean himself up. Tomorrow will be the last school day of the week, and he couldn't be more excited for the weekends. He can already tell he's gonna be busy all weekend.

 

With a pleased smile, he went to bed with high hopes of seeing her in his dreams.

 

 

* * *

 

Eren being a peeping tom. Bad babyboy. 


	8. Chapter 8

_Tap tap tap_

 

The young woman shifted in her bed as she unconsciously made sense of a light tapping sound from somewhere outside her door. Still wading in the river of dreams, she tangled herself more with her blanket, somehow refusing to let anything get in the way of her sleep. The night was comfortably cool and she absolutely loved leaving her feet out in the cold while the rest of her are snuggly warm under her fresh.

 

_Tap tap shuffle shuffle_

 

Her (h/c) locks that made way across her face gently tickled her nose at each soft breath she took, making her wrinkle her nose and subconsciously swat the offending piece of hair away before continuing her merry sleeping. She wasn't normally a heavy sleeper but due to the growing paperworks and deadlines catching up, she often finds herself collapsing in bed from exhaustion and ends up waking up the next morning without much recollection of the previous night.

 

_shuffle shuffle **hiss**_

 

(Y/n) stirred at the sound, her consciousness slowly coming to her. Eyes groggy with sleep, she rolled to her back and slowly tried to feel her phone around and when she finally took hold of it, she tapped it on and silently groaned at the harsh light. 2:15 am.

 

  
She heard her cat growl angrily before letting out a few spats. Typical of her when she plays tag with her tail. "Damn cat," she murmured and tried to go back to sleep. She'll be sure to scold her early tomorrow. For now, she needs some more sleep.

 

_THUD!_

 

Her eyes bolted open at the sudden loud noise. She scrambled to sit up but didn't have the energy to get out of bed. In the darkness, she could only stare at the door in annoyance as she clutched at the sheets. That sounded like something heavy fell on the carpeted floor. Resisting the urge to mutter a string of profanities out of spite, she exhaled loudly which came out more like a groan.

 

"What the hell is it, Bon-bon?!" she yelled out, pissed that her cat was making a ruckus in the middle of the night. She's got freaking class at 7:30 later! Plus she was so tired, still tired and probably will remain tired all day. She massaged the bridge of her nose for an anticipated headache.

 

**_THUD! CRASH!!!_ **

 

(Y/n) visibly jumped at the crashing noise sending her heart hammering loud against her chest. That shook off the lingering drowsiness within her, her eyes wide-awake and frantically darting from the door to wherever her phone was thrown off to. "Holy shit! What the fuck was that?? Bon-bon??!" Whatever irritation she had was now slowly being replaced with worry.

 

Did some burglar get in?

 

She prayed to the heavens to not let it be so. She's got no one with her and she's currently on the second floor. She cursed herself for not having an emergency exit plan as she fumbled with her phone and dialed 911. But it could be that her cat was just being a pain in the ass and knocked off some stuff while playing around. ' _Oh, I swear I'm putting you in a cage tomorrow, you little shit,_ " she thought while getting out of bed and hurrying to turn on the lights.

 

_"Hello 911, what is your emergency?"_

 

"T-There was a sudden noise downstairs. I don't know what it is. It could be a burglar. I'm all alone in my house," (Y/n) reported, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

"Okay, stay somewhere safe. If you are in a room, lock the door. Give us your name and location and we will send someone there in a second."

 

She told the operator her address and hung up a moment later. But instead of following instructions and staying put, she decided against it and proceeded downstairs but not before grabbing a bat from her closet. She knew she'll need it someday no matter how safe they claim this neighborhood is.

 

(Y/n) descended the stairs carefully and silently. It's either a burglar or her cat; she gulped and clutched the handle tighter. She will swing at anything or anyone that moves, may God have mercy on her soul. The stairs ended in the junction between the living room and the dining area which is a few steps from the kitchen.

 

Halfway down, she peered down the gaps between the wooden steps and saw that the coast was clear. No broken things or displaced furnitures and no sound of human intruders,but still she could never be so sure. She continued down and before she could take off the last step, she heard soft panting. It sounded like it was from the dining area or the kitchen.

 

With her back pressed firmly against the wall, she carefully stuck her head out from the wall she's hiding behind of to see the living room. With a small house, it was easy to see that her living room was devoid of any person or cat. She gulped once again and she could feel her chest starting to hurt in worry and anticipation. Where the hell is her cat anyways? She didn't want to call it out in fear of attracting the actual burglar, if there's indeed one (or many).

 

With only the street lights outside as the source of illumination inside, she silently padded to the dining area. Again, very careful and vigilant with her weapon, she strode in and saw no one. (Y/n) scanned the room, making sure no one was hiding behind the counter or the fridge or under the table. But the soft panting grew a little louder and clearer, and it didn't do anything but made her anxious. She was about to turn around when she stepped on something soft and furry, making her withdraw her bare foot from the thing. With the little amount of light, she squinted hard enough and saw the furry apendage and cautiously picked it up.

 

It was a tail of a furry animal, much to her shock and fear. It reeked of blood which disgusted her, and she happened to touch a wet part too.  _Did Bon-bon catch an animal and brought it in?_  No way she could, all the doors and windows are locked.

 

Not really liking the disturbing feeling anymore, she retraced her steps and with a shaky hand, she flipped the switch on. Light flooded the room as her eyes adjusted at the sudden brightness. When her eyes finally got comfortable, she looked around. The bat she was holding fell on the floor with a loud clang when she laid eyes on the dining area's wall.

 

The words " **HELLO TEACHER"**  were written on the once pristine white wall in dripping bold red letters painted with (Y/n) could only assume as blood.  _Who's blood is this._... her own ran cold as her body  _froze_. There on the floor below the cursed writings laid her pet cat Bon-bon, bloodied, panting weakly with its eyes wide and pupils dilated. Its long fluffy tail was cut off clean and bleeding.

 

It was like the color drained from her face and she let out a blood-curdling scream...

 

******

 

The blaring sound of siren filled her ears as (Y/n) watched her unconscious cat being put in a small stretcher and carried into an ambulance bound for the nearest 24-hour veterinary clinic. An oxygen mask was strapped over its snout as the animal held on to life. Thank goodness her beloved feline companion is already out of harm's way. Her eyes were red and swollen with tears as she tried to quiet down her sobs and allow the police to ask her questions. Still visibly shaken, she did her best to understand each inquiry and answer to the best of her abilities.

 

  
With a heavy heart, (Y/n) revealed to them about the strange feeling of being watched and followed around (which has been happening for awhile now, albeit in odd intervals), the odd displacement of her pots and mats and the loose screws of her window locks. Although, she cannot tell if the person was able to get in prior to all this or not, there were no missing things as far as she could tell.

 

The police ruled it as a case of stalking and advised her to stay with family or friends for the mean time and to never be alone as much as possible while they conduct investigation. (Y/n) nodded with half-lidded eyes, slowly feeling all the exhaustion taking a toll on her. She'd have to call in to the faculty and inform them of the incident.

 

A week off would be very helpful since she's been feeling on the edge but she knows that can never be granted. The most she'll get is a day or two since the end of the school year is drawing awfully close, she can't really afford to be absent at the moment. But just this once, she just want to get out and hide herself from all the paperworks, deadlines, the damned stalker, from the world. (Y/n) sighed, a few tears escaped her eyes. She just wanted to be alone with her cat and be left in peace.

 

It took a little longer for the crew to be out of her home. It was good that she wasn't needed to be brought to the police station, it would have been more traumatic for her. She never imagined it will all escalate into this. This was getting out of hand and she's getting more and more scared at each passing thought of paranoia.

 

She'll probably not see Bon-bon in a while, she seemed to be in such a bad condition. It made her furious that the stalker had to get her cat tangled in his crazy shit. The poor thing, who prided herself with her majestic long bushy tail, was now reduced into a unconscious tail-less mess. It was such a cruel thing to do to an animal. The vet said that Bon-bon was strangled near to death, slammed against the wall and when it fell unconscious, the demon proceeded to cut off her tail.

 

She bit her lips hard, she could only imagine how scared and hurt her cat is. How she might have screamed and hissed at the intruder as they assaulted her. Another tear rolled down and with a shaky hand, she wiped it away and let out a bitter sigh.

 

She wondered where she could crash for the night later. Her parents live 3 hours away by train and her friends have their own lives to live. Most have their own partners, it would be weird camping in their homes. Some, although single, aren't really that close with her. And with her being the way she is, she just can't bear to bother other people with her problems.

 

(Y/n) groaned and stiffled a sob with the back of her hand on her lips. Why is this even happening to her? What did she ever do to anyone to deserve this? Her mind, despite its protests, flew back to the idea of her stalker. What do they want with her? Does she know them? Have she ever wronged them in such a way that they have to terrorize her and Bon-bon this way? Will there be more if this in the future?

 

She shuddered at the last thought. Just thinking of another terrorizing night, as if the stalking and the breaking in wasn't bad enough. Maybe she should pack up and leave, and find a place far away to live in. But what about her job? She bit her lip in worry. It's hard to find a job nowadays with her profession. With a heavy heart, she went up to her room and climbed to her bed, wrapping her blankets around her.

 

She thought of going back to her old parents back home. Speaking of them, she hasn't told them yet. For sure they'll get sick with worry and would ask her to go home and stay with them. Analyzing her financial status, there wasn't really much for her to do in the province that takes pride in their agricultural prowess. Schools there don't offer as much as the ones in the big cities, and she found life in hometown dreary and monotonous. It was exactly why she left for Sina in the first place.

 

She wondered what life could be if she stayed home as she clutched the wrinkled sheets against her. After finishing college, she could have taught in one of the local high schools, and on weekends, manage their vegetable and fruit store in the central market while her parents manage their small farm. She'll watch her neighbors, childhood friends, kids come and go. It will be boring but at least, she'll be safe there. People know each other like family; and maybe after a few years, marry someone at the same or neighboring town...

 

She rolled to her side and buried her face into her pillow. She's got tons of responsibilities as of the moment and she only got one day to spare. Finals, her paper works, her students, Bon-bon.. they all need her. And she needs to thoughen up and fix herself. The police are doing their best to solve her case, and the least she could do is be brave and vigilant.

 

"Just keep yourself safe. You've got a job to keep," she whispered to herself.

 

With new found courage, she hopped out of bed and went to pack some clothes that would last her for a week or two. She remembered spotting a decent yet cheap penthouse near the campus.

 

******

 

A few days have passed since the news that Miss (L/n)'s house was broken in and although it was initially uncertain who did it and for what reason, the faculty's speculations soon cleared up when the woman involved opened up about it a few days after.

 

The first to approach her was Mr. Erwin Smith the principal, whom she texted about it firsthand. Worry laced his expression as he listened to what transpired, even asking a few questions to better analyze the situation. Regretfully, the academy didn't have a staff house, but (Y/n) told him not to worry.

 

He offered her any assistance she may ever need and she only thanked him politely, saying she already have the police handling things for her. The young woman requested to keep what happened within the faculty which Erwin found understandable.

 

Although she never admits it, she was still shaken from what happened, evident on the way she kept to herself most of the time in her own office or sometimes skipping breaks from the rest of the teachers. Sometimes when she's with the group, she tends to suddenly fall silent a d have a faraway look in her eyes, though they know she's trying hard to keep the awful things out of her mind and to be as social as usual.

 

They did their best to comfort her though, a few even offering to let her stay with them but she politely declined saying she's already found a place to stay at. A forced smile would appear on her tired face which will cause them to sigh in defeat. Perhaps, letting her feel and know they'll be there would help. They'll give her the space and peace she needs. She'll ask for a hand when she's ready.

 

******

 

Class still went on as usual for (Y/n). Time alone proved to be useful. It gave her space to think and to do her share of work without much distraction. As of now, she's skipping lunch and locking herself in her office to finish the last of her pending work. Cooped up in her desk with piles of ungraded papers and projects from her 5 classes, the focused young woman silently and simultaneously scanned and checked 3 papers at a time and then typing in the respective scores in her excel worksheet. Thank god for this program, she would go crazy if she had to compute for each and every student.

 

As her scheduled break came, she took off her glasses and stretched her limbs and back, her joints making delightful cracklings. The moisture from her (f/d) soaked up the tissue where she placed it on. Not anymore cold the way she likes it, she decided to not finish it. Seemed like she got too engrossed in her task to even bother taking a sip.

 

Light faintly blinked from her phone signalling a new message. She picked it up and checked.  _3 messages_. First one from the veterinary clinic, second one was from her network service provider and the last one is from an unknown number. She raised a brow but nonetheless, proceeded to read her messages.

 

She hummed positively, it says Bon-bon's doing alright and her appetite's getting better. The doctor has been so kind to let her check in for a few more days and even offered to cut down on her fee due to the awful event that had happened. That was one last thorn out of her side that made her smile.

 

She decided to skip the second message since it sends the same one several times in a day, and went straight to the last message.

 

"Hmm, must be from the police..." she thought. It was blank from view until she actually opens it. A mixture of worry and anticipation reigned in her chest as she clicked it open. She  _frowned;_ it was blank but the bar from the right side of the screen signified that the message is long. Is this the police's attempt in privacy?  _How thoughtful and suspense-filled_. But whatever she was previously feeling quickly turned into shock and fear as she actually got to the real message.

 

**[Unknown number]**

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

**Hello teacher :)**

  
**[recieved: 2:45 pm]**

 

As if her phone was made out of hot coal, she dropped it on her table top and kicked herself away from the table. Her cold trembling hands covered her mouth, muting her horrified screams.

 

 

_The wolf prowls closer...._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally get to update! Been busy with a new temporary job (finally!). Enjoy!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did some minor editing after a good night's sleep. I was feeling a bit out of it since yesterday, so here it is. ^__^

 

* * *

 

 

  
_"Just who the hell are you?"_

 

(E/c) eyes brimming with fearful tears stared up at the white ceiling. Her mind has been a jumbled mess ever since she read that message, her chest ached and a very unconfortable feeling settled deep within her stomach.

 

...

 

_Her cold trembling hands covered her mouth, muting her horrified screams. She could feel her chest tighten at every pound of her heart, and it was getting hard to breathe. (Y/n) took deep breaths to steady her respiration._

_Calm down. **Calm down.** It's just a text. Just a text. They're not even here. Your office is safe. It's locked. Locked (Y/n). Locked! They can't get in to school. They never have. They couldn't. It's fine. It's fi--_

_A ringtone signifying an incoming call suddenly blasted from her phone, making her jump from her seat. Like a crazed individual, she stood up and stormed to her table and looked down at her vibrating phone with frantic eyes._

**Unknown number**  
**_Calling..._ **

_She could only stare at it in horror. **What in the world do they want from me??**_

****

_She could feel bile rising up her throat, a sour acidic taste making its way into her mouth. In a flash, she ran to the nearby window, slammed it open and puked out whatever she previously had all over the plant box._

 

...

 

"I'm going out for a while. Will you be alright on your own, Miss (Y/n)?" a kind feminine voice spoke from behind the white curtains. It was the school nurse.

 

"Y-Yeah. Thanks" she croaked, her voice hoarse from the pressure of keeping her sobs in. Then she heard the clinic's door softly opened and closed.

 

That was when she let out shaky breaths that soon progressed into bitter sobs that racked her body. Hot tears ran down her cheeks and unto the pillow she's laying her head on. She couldn't understand why this was happening, how they still have the decency to continue to terrorize her after what they did. How did they even get her digits?

 

She paused her pathetic crying.

 

They knew her number. How did they get her number? Are they someone she knows? From where? A neighbor? A stranger from the places she always goes to?

 

... Is it from school?

 

Her suspicions only made her feel sicker than she already is. She racked her brain trying to think about where she could've possibly gotten the evil entity from, as if it was a stray ghost that just happened to latch itself on her. Right now, why they're doing this isn't that important anymore. They're sick and so are their reasons.

 

She just really wants to know who they are and where they can be found so she could give them a piece of her mind -- no, no, no. The police should know what to do with them. Have the authorities put the stalker to jail, punish them and make them pay for all the sleepless nights and stress they put her through. And also for hurting her cat. She clenched her fists. Bon-bon needs to be away until all these cleared up.

 

Halting her tears by hastily wiping them away with the back of her hand, she thought about the message they sent her: "Hello teacher." It's a no brainer they know as much as what her profession is, where she lives, her routine, and even her phone number. That's what stalkers do. They obsessively gather information about their targets and forcefully squeeze themselves into their targets' lives.

 

_Hello teacher..._

 

How annoying. As much as it scares her, it irks her that the sick fuck is calling her that. Not that she isn't one, but it irritates her that they know what she does. And for her, it sounded like they're teasing her through it. Although she isn't one to be conceited, she willed herself to be one for the time being while she thought hard and long. Looking back, she remembered numerous faces, although most are blurred from memory.

 

Figures of men and women and even of children she meets on the daily flashed across her mind. Retracing her steps, she started from home and thought about the people she meets from the moment she steps out of her door.

 

The kind old couple who lives down block...

The lady with three rowdy kids living few houses away...

Her closest neighbors who never seem to be home, but show themselves once in a blue moon....

The highschoolers that go to a neighboring school who either walk or go by bike....

The grumpy middle-aged mailman who makes her feel like delivering her packages from online stores is a pain in his ass....

The male convenience store clerk who always smiles at her whenever she drops by...

 

She blinked. Everyone from the tentative list doesn't really seem to give off stalker-ish vibes except the last one... That store clerk was always so nice to her, always helping her out when she can't seem to find her favorite chips. Even going out of his way to retrieve some from the stockroom. Cute too.

 

She sighed and shook her head.

 

"It's... It's not like he likes me or anything, right? Geez, this is embarassing," she thought while fighting off the urge to blush at how silly her thoughts are getting. Besides, stalkers usually become what they are because they were rejected in some kind of way, at least that's how it is in movies and stories. The store clerk never really did anything else besides being helpful. Nothing too weird in that. ' _Some people are just generally kind to others, and he probably is one of them.'_

 

But what if their intentions did not come from liking her?

 

A chill ran down her spine. (Y/n) knows there are psychopaths out there who take pleasure from just purely striking terror in others. It's possible that she might have done something to them that made them go after her.

 

That mailman. Surely, he must hate her guts. He always has this scowl on his face whenever he delivers frilly packages and ones that requires gentle handling. She closed her (e/c) eyes and breathed out. Their subdivision is one of his permanent areas of assignment, has been for years even long before she inherited her grandparents' house. He even asked about them once, when she first formally started taking up residence and had her first parcel to be ever delivered by him.

 

Homeowners know him, her grandparents know him. Surely he wouldn't.... just how bad is delivering her ridiculous packages anyways? She frowned inwardly, 'It's not like it's really him.' But for good measure, the next time she sees him, she'll say sorry for ever offending him in any way.

 

Her list didn't stop there though.

 

Her thoughts, like her own feet, breezed down farther out to the community. She imagined herself back in the train station with her blending into the crowd. There was no way she can know who could be preying on her in the train, with the massive population of people that comes in and out every hour of everyday. It was rare to see a familiar face among the crowd. Plus she's usually on her phone or busy hunting for a vacant seat to even care about observing people.

 

She groaned in frustration and scratched her head in thought. This is where she feels watchful eyes on her most of the time. There they could watch her all they want without the trouble of being caught. It was frustrating how it's not easy to gather clues especially in this area. But she can't let bitterness stall her any longer.

 

Next is the supermarket, the place she goes to more than the malls. This is where she first felt the disturbing feeling that even followed her home. She vaguely remembered coming in on an unbusy time. Only few people were present, some aisles were even empty.

 

The grocery staff were nice but not that accomodating. They usually just let shoppers do their thing while they do theirs. They entertain inquiries and other requests though, but most of the time they're passive. (Y/n) can't think of anyone from there who could possibly be her stalker. 'Perhaps one of the shoppers?' She can't say for sure.

 

Next is her school.

 

She actually didn't want to take Kyojin High into consideration since it technically is her second home in the city. She never felt her stalker's presence while she's in it. School is practically her safe heaven.l if she must say. Again, perhaps it was due to the security cameras and personnel that littered the school grounds.

 

_Hello teacher...._

 

Even so, she can never be quite sure. After all, who else knew her best as a teacher if not its students and staff, right?

 

She knew the staff and the rest of the employees and no one struck her as someone who would want to do her harm. (Y/n) has not remembered even one instance of conflict with anyone in the faculty and the rest of the school personnel. And no one really ever showed any romantic interest in her, so the possibility of her rejecting anyone from them is zero.

 

On the other hand, having a student liking her is very unlikely. She wasn't popular as a teacher for that reason. If anyone, it would be Miss Petra, Mister Levi, Miss Nanaba and the like who would excel in the beauty and charm department.

 

(Y/n) also never remembered any incident that led her and a student into a fight, alumni or not. Maybe she gives a little scolding when the kids get out of hand from time to time which is nothing out of the ordinary. Surely, they didn't hold that against her, did they? She was also sure she hasn't failed anyone without giving them a chance through removal exams.

 

See, she's a kind and gracious teacher! She does her job well and cares for the well-being of her students. She knows she's being a real egotistic ass right now, but how could anyone try to harass her? She didn't reject anyone, well she tried but got suckered in the end anyways. She even gave him a special favor--

 

Speaking of him...

 

She stared at nothingness for a while before a light of remembrance came to her. "Eren, that brat..." she murmured, suddenly recalling the kiss that they shared. She remembered getting the shock of her life when he leaned in and melded his lips with hers.

 

She remembered pulling away and seeing the pitiful expression of shock and fear on his face as realization of what he had done dawned upon him. She remembered feeling sorry for him when he desperately asked for forgiveness because he didn't mean to do it. He was so sorry and he cried.

 

Ever since that afternoon, she pushed the thought deep in back of her mind. He was disoriented emotionally and mentally, he never meant to do that and she understood that's why she decided to forget about it. After that, the boy went on with life like nothing happened, and she did too.

 

That doesn't count as "like" right?

 

Of course the boy doesn't see her that way. She grimaced. This is all getting so ridiculously idiotic. There's a reason why some people work in the police force as detectives, that's because they have the skills and ability to solve critical puzzles called cases. And she's not one of them.

 

That's probably why she's making up all these crazy assumptions, accusing innocent people and scaring herself shitless for no reason. She should just leave it to the police's hands since that's what they're here for after all.

 

"What you need to do is calm the fuck down and follow their advice. A cluttered mind will do you no good, (Y/n)," she thought to herself while slowly calming her nerves. Her heart has been clenching awfully and it doesn't help with the fact that the stalker tried to call her today and she's not doing anything helpful in her situation.

 

"I should report this, and maybe get some cameras installed at home," she decided before getting up. Walking to the nurse's table, she picked up a pen and wrote 'thank you' on a piece of sticky note paper before leaving. Storming to the direction of Erwin's office, (Y/n) is determined to get a few days of leave and nothing's gonna stop her. Not even finals.

 

...

 

She's not sure when and how, but she has somehow grown accustomed to the feeling of being watched and followed, but her feelings about it didn't change a bit. It's still unnerving as ever and there's nothing she can do but deal with it, for now. 'It won't be for long', she thought as she descended the flight of stairs and towards the exit of the police department.

 

She was pleased with how their talk went, and she has Erwin and Hanji to thank for her early dismissal today. Hanji gladly took over her last two classes for the day upon Erwin's approval so she can file another report to the police station. (Y/n) clutched her bag closer to her chest as she waited for an empty cab to pass by. The wind has gotten chilly and she's glad to have worn a thick cardigan.

 

There it was again, the heavy feeling of eyes watching her from the shadows. The skies have just started to darken and she knows they're just out there observing her. She wonders how they would feel. They should know by now that she's taking steps to push them out of her life. She's fighting back. Along with a fire of hope springing, a dark foreboding feeling gnawed at her. She knew it's bound to provoke them, and she didn't want to think about how they'll react.

 

  
Having signed the papers permitting the police to set up surveillance cameras around her home and them starting the hunt for the stalker by tracing the unknown number made her feel hopeful, braver and determined. She's got justice by her side and they're doing their best to ensure her safety and the capture of the suspect.

 

She bravely stared back to the darkness in front of her. It won't be long till all this torment stops.

 

Not a few moments later, a cab picked her up and she's glad to be finally getting back to her temporary home.

 

But somewhere someone isn't all that happy. _At all_

 

...

 

Her morning started out quite good. For the first time since the incident, she had a good sleep all thanks to the few steps of progress she's making. Progress because before the clock even struck 8, the inspector called to remind her about a few of their men coming over her house to install the promised security cameras. And also to give her a tentative report about their findings on the unknown number.

 

How immediate.

 

For a moment, her fingers went cold and numb. Have they finally found out who her stalker is? How close are they from home? From school? Are they someone she knows? It was scary and exciting at the same time. She opted to have her coffee black today. She needs to be awake and alert all day since she'll be assisting the police and would be visiting school to finally finish her leftover work. She figured giving her students some time to go over the past lessons by themselves would do them good.

 

At exactly 9, she was picked up by a private car from the penthouse. They figured it will be safer to accompany her home and while on the road, the inspector discussed tidbits of the report with the rest to be revealed when they actually get to the house.

 

Being back to her home felt a bit different without her furry companion. The house was cold and gloomy and there were still some police duct tapes around and the markings they left for investigation were still there. Even the blood writings were still on the wall. She was hoping she could clean it up already but until the case is closed, it's staying there until further notice which is one of the reason she's not going to go back to stay here anytime soon.

 

Though not totally gone, the once homey feeling the house used to offer has seemed to have diminished greatly. It doesn't even feel much like home anymore. It made her miss Bon-bon so much.

 

The whole setting up was a breeze. The cameras were put up on the most strategic places, promising of recording any malicious activities by anyone from outside to the inside. (Y/n) felt so relieved. Although she will still have no one to be with her, at least everything will be recorded and accounted for on cam. That was better than being blind to whatever evil activities the stalker is bound to do in the future.

 

The inspector's report didn't offer much, to her frustration, although it gave her some insights on the stalker's probable whereabouts. According to the result of their investigation, the phone used to contact her was tracked going from Shinganshina to the district of Utopia, both 2 hours from each other.

 

The stalker has been travelling 2 hours just to see her. She scoffed at their dedication. But at the same time she scratched her head, she's not sure if she knows anyone from there. Unless anyone from her list lives there. The inspector did put her own list into consideration, glad that she's giving her two cents in it instead of just waiting around.

 

For now, they'll just have to monitor the stalker's activities through their tracker and see if it coincides with any appearances that may occur. If they come close to home or school, the police won't be too far behind. After all, this is just a tentative report. (Y/n) willed herself to be patient. And brave. They'll eventually get to the bottom of this soon.

 

...

 

It was odd going to school at lunch time. She can see a few students going out of their classrooms either to take their lunch or skip it. Some loitered around the campus doing whatnot. A few recognized her and she just smiled and waved back.

 

Their questioning gaze lingered at her back even when she hurried to walk away from their sight. It must be weird not seeing their teacher when she's supposed to be around and then seeing her at lunch time. Was Miss (L/n) skipping classes? That was a funny one indeed. Well, it's Miss (Y/n) (L/n) they're talking about. She doesn't cut classes, and besides, only students cut classes.

 

The young teacher has been pretty weird these past few weeks, and she has gotten even weirder for some unknown reason. Aside from her constant jittery mood, her forgetfulness and her overall tired and pale appearance, Miss (Y/n) has gotten awfully quiet. Still stoic at most times but she has not been her usual beaming excited self when delivering lessons. She walks in, teaches, communicates a bit and then leaves in a hurry. It's like a robot has replaced her.

 

But the quality of her teaching remained the same, it's not like she's gotten dull or has been slacking off. She still gives a lot of desk work for them. It's rare for her to be absent though. The first month of school was rainy due to weak storms but not once was she absent and people will only know she's feeling under the weather when she's wearing a disposable surgical mask on. Students can only shrug their shoulders and hope she's doing okay. Perhaps, she's just nervous for the upcoming finals since she knows her subject isn't that easy for most. That must be it.

 

That's why when Armin and his friends saw the (h/c)-haired teacher, the blond didn't know if he should call for her or not. She looked to be in deep thought while walking along the hallway leading to her office. She wasn't around during their class and Miss Hanji was very overwhelming as a substitute instructor. Surely, a short greeting won't be bad, he thought timidly. But before he could even do so, his brunette friend already beat him to it, quite excitedly if he must note.

 

"Miss (L/n)! Good afternoon!"

  
The loud cheerful voice startled the unsuspecting teacher who was absentmindedly walking towards the trio. Like a cat doused in cold water, she struggled to compose herself and think about a half-assed reply. Mikasa was as silent and observant as ever, but failed to see the odd glint in Eren's emerald eyes.

 

"O-Oh, hello there," (Y/n) greeted back, again with a smile plastered on. Students from her first period class. She wanted to slap herself for even stuttering. Well, her mind was warped up in dark thoughts. It's refreshing to see Eren full of cheer with his friends though. Looking at them, they seemed to be fine albeit looking a bit worried about something.

 

"Are you okay, Miss (Y/n)? You weren't in class earlier." Eren worriedly asked, carelessly using her first name, as if his friends aren't around. This made Mikasa glance at him and Armin was just as curious as he was to even care. Deep inside, Eren was glad to finally get the chance to actually talk to her after all these weeks. If not for _them_ being around, he would've pulled her in for a hug, or at least hold her hands. They must be cold since it's been chilly outside. He missed her _so_ much.

 

"Ah, yes. Sorry about this morning. I had, uh, some important things to take care of," (Y/n) started uncomfortably and then pursing her lips, wondering how much of it should she leave out. At this, Eren's eyes perked up before darkening ever so slightly. It was hard not to lash out in irritation, but he must not take off his mask of innocence.

 

"I hope you did your tasks. Miss Hanji will be taking care of you until Friday or till things get sorted out," she continued in a reassuring tone. Well, they're kids. They don't - _shouldn't_ \- care about complicated things like adults do. Plus they got a vacation to look forward to. On the other hand, the closest she could have are little trips to the police station. 

 

She's not in her faculty uniform, but rather in casual clothing consisting of jeans, closed shoes and cotton shirt. Only her ID identifies her as teacher. Thoughts of how cute she is and other delusional musings swirled like a cloud of coiling smoke in his mind. Now, if only they were alone at the moment.... Regretfully looking at Mikasa and Armin, he mentally sighed. It would have to wait for another time.

 

Well, time to cut it sweetly short.

 

"Well, we have to head back to class now. We hope to see you soon Miss," the brunette grinned and pulled the other two with him to their first class for the afternoon. (Y/n) watched them go with a slight smile before she went ahead to her destination. How nice it is to be young with nothing else to think about but school and fun time with friends.

 

If only she knew of the darkness nesting in the depths of his mind.

 

Eren scornfully looked back at the teacher's retreating form. A small smirk played on his lips.

 

_A game of tag or hide-and-seek, which one is it?_

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

 

The stalker didn't initiate contact again after that and not once did she ever try to reply nor answer any of their attempts. She took the liberty of blocking the cursed number, hoping that in doing so, she'll be able to block them out of her life too. She wouldn't lie, doing so made her feel somewhat safer.

 

She was positive that they sensed that they're being tracked down and of course, they've surely come to know of her resistance. Her ploys. It must've stirred something in them, she hoped it's guilt and realization, that made them stop their malicious activities. She's very thankful and very much relieved at the turn of events. Regardless of them halting their stalking, they will be persecuted by the authorities. Justice will be served.

 

Once they can finally plot all the points, issue a warrant and arrange everything in order, the police will finally capture the culprit. The culprit who caused her many sleepless nights, her declining health and the injury of her cat. The inspector positively told her they're getting real close to them and in a matter of days to a week, they will get to unveil the stalker's identity and bring him in.

 

For now she'll play the waiting game; this time it's more exciting and nerve-wracking than the last. It was a blend of fear and anticipation to finally know of her tormentor; it gave her the chills just thinking about it but at the same time she felt impatient. She just wants all this to be over so she can finally close this chapter of her life and move on.

 

For the mean time, she made herself busy and productive. In few days time, finals will finally commence and this school year will finally come into conclusion. As someone who dislikes last-minute rushing, she has a bunch of comprehensive exam questions for her final evaluation ready. She just needs to send them off, hope they make it past the last obstacle and see to it that the turnover of students to the next year level is smooth. That would be more than half of the load off her back.

 

Currently on the teacher's desk, she silently watched over her first period class as they made final adjustments on their notes. She finished lecturing the last of Advanced Chemistry just minutes ago and she graciously gave them time to wrap everything around their heads. Questions and clarifications were welcomed and so far, only a few were raised, hopefully that meant they understood the subject and would do well in their upcoming exams.

 

Everyone seemed lively, although the exam jitters is slowly creeping up on them and biting them in the ass. From one corner of the room, Sasha and Connie seemed busy taking turns in asking and answering each other's questions, no doubt pumped up for the exam. (Y/n) smiled, they're such a lively pair, especially Sasha who never fails to make the class laugh even at very odd times.

 

Krista, the sweetest girl she's ever had the chance of meeting, and her self-proclaimed bodyguard Ymir on the side rewriting notes and reviewing them while at it. The meek blonde has got to have the neatest and girliest notes out of all the students she's handling. (Y/n) thought she could be an illustrator for a reviewer or something since she draws the cutest, most sensible drawings on her lecture notes, it was so great. And (Y/n) has never seen Ymir so tamed before, considering her past life as a gangster. She can't help but crack a smile at the Princess and Knight duo.

 

On another area of the classroom, she saw Jean and Marco, the former being his usual confident self while the latter was just smiling and listening. Two polar opposite people who somehow became friends. She heard they've been best pals since they were freshmen. She heard Jean wanted to go to the prestigious military academy that's why he's honing his academics and athletic skills. Marco on the other hand, was rumored to be aspiring to enter priesthood, which isn't hard to believe considering his gentle nature.

 

Her eyes chanced upon another group and accidentally locked gazes with the shyest one in the trio. The dark-haired teen, who's the tallest in the class, ducked down and looked away shyly. Aww, Bertlholdt. He has always been an adorable beanstalk, always tagging along his childhood friend Reiner, the brawny blonde who (Y/n) first judged as someone who only thinks about building muscles but is actually smart. The little lady, Annie, is with them sitting near but having this invisible wall around her. She never talked a lot so (Y/n) don't have much to say about her. The three got transferred a year and half ago and it didn't take long for them to get acquainted with the others.

 

And then there's the other trio huddled in the middle of the room. Armin, who seemed to be the brain and seat of conscience of the group, sat between the two and was acting as their mentor of some sort. (Y/n) mistook him for Krista and has long been sorry for it. Really, the young lad looks effeminate and his meek nature didn't help. But man, was he intelligent.

 

Mikasa, the silent but deadly beauty much like her distant uncle Levi, served as a mother hen for the two boys. She was the quiet shadow who looks after them. (Y/n) often wonders how things are between the two Ackermans since she has never seen them speak to each other despite being in the same school (acknowledging stares were exchanged instead whenever they pass each other in the hallway). Perhaps that would change come the next school year since Mr. Ackerman handles the seniors.

 

And then there's Eren, the lively headstrong appointed leader of the group. The other two just seemed to follow his lead. (Y/n) used to think he was just some brash kid who won people's hearts with his strong determination and charisma. Well, that was somehow true but there's more to him than meets the eye. She can't help but playfully scoff at the memory of him getting all angry at everything for failing. He was such an annoying brat at first, she wanted to torment him a little to make him realize not everything can be available to you just because you've got amazing qualities.

 

She watched him fail, pick himself up and try again and again until he made it. Now, Eren is busy sharing his thoughts and answers to his little group. Gone was the dark cloud above his head and the grimace on his visage whenever faced with chemistry problems. Once again, the brunette shone with confidence in her class. She silently nodded in approval and for the nth time that day, she smiled in satisfaction.

 

Ah, such is the happiness of a teacher. To see her little ' _chickadees_ ' grow and flourish until they're ready to fly and advance to the next level never failed to warm her heart. Though teaching was not her first choice, it was always so fulfilling to see their smiles whenever they learned something and hopefully whatever they learned from her will be able to help them out in real life. And that was just few of the many reasons she's sticking to this profession.

 

They still have a few more meetings till the exam period, but the young teacher couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental. Soon, when they meet in the hallways she won't be their teacher anymore. They'll spend one last year trying to get ready for college and the harsh world out there, then after that, it's graduation. They'll finally fly out of Kyojin High's hands.

 

On the other hand, another batch of new pupils to be trained will be occupying these seats soon. The thought of it made her heart flutter. New faces, new personalities, young minds with so much to learn, and lives she hoped to positively impact.

 

Her lips pursed together in a way her lower lip stuck out, making her look like she's holding back tears. She watched them contentedly, memorizing each smile, the sound of their banter, the overall pleasant atmosphere, and the happiness blooming in her chest. They were picture-perfect from where she stood.

 

She lived in that moment. And for once in what seemed to be an eternity, she was at peace.

 

....

 

Exam week has finally come and as expected, students of Kyojin High in all levels are busy getting ready for the their tests. Some are doing their last minute cramming, some are reviewing their notes, while others are relaxing their nerves. A few littered the halls while most stayed in their first period classrooms.

 

Class 2-A, sophomore's star section, stayed in but the students formed factions among them and stayed huddled in their own corners and doing whatever they were supposed to do. Most of them took studying more seriously than most students from other classes and almost everyone is a part of some club to cover the requirements for belonging to the upper 25 percent.

 

Needless to say, teachers have high expectations from the Class A of each year level and as early as prelims, there were already tentative lists of the elite top 10. Of course, the final roster would be decided after all the calculations are done.

 

When the morning bell rang, everyone got in and scrambled back to their seats as proctors entered their assigned classrooms. The proctors can tell that most, if not all, of their students are nervous. Some even have bags under their eyes, most probably from their last night's study (cramming) session. Nonetheless, they proceeded to give out instructions and exam materials.

 

When the clock struck 8, everyone has started to furiously read their first set of test questions. Some sounds of pencil scribbling on paper was heard while soft whispers came from the cautious ones who would never answer unless they read the question at least twice. The room was almost silent, but it was not the peaceful kind of quiet. The examiners could feel the pressure and nervousness intermingling in the air and they could only hope they'll do well.

 

While exams were going on, (Y/n) on the other hand stayed behind in the faculty room to start computing tentative grades, equally anxious to see if anyone in her classes would fail and need remedial classes which she absolutely hate giving. Her schedule to watch over would be this afternoon. Half of the faculty would be on morning shift, while the other half would be on afternoon, which was great so they could take turns in looking after the students and do under the wire adjustments in their computations.

 

For now, it was just her and several other teachers in the lounge. The positive development in her situation improved her overall mood and for the first time in months, she started to wear genuine smiles and began to lose a bit of the jitters caused by her paranoia. She was able to feel in place with her colleagues once again and started to spend time with them like how she used to. It came to others as a pleasant progress and they were glad to have her back.

 

They were right in giving her space to work out whatever was bothering her. Miss (L/n) has always worked best on her own and they figured out that letting her assess the situation first to be able to resort to the best course of action would be right. Constant prodding only made her recoil from everyone. They were always all ears and glad to help whenever she needed anything. That was the least they could do.

 

"Hey (Y/n), wanna go out later for lunch?"

 

(Y/n) squinted her eyes and typed in an 80 before looking at Petra whose face expressed hopeful anticipation. (Y/n) grinned and nodded then continued to type on her laptop. A few more and she'll be able to move on to the next section.

 

"Sounds good, I'm tired of iced coffee and bread for lunch," she spoke out with a laugh. While she could not see the brown-haired beauty, she could tell that Petra's eyes widened in horror at what she just heard.

 

"You've been living off coffee and bread all this time?? No wonder you lost some weight. But that's just unhealthy! Geez (Y/n)!" Petra almost shrieked, clutching the bag of pens she was about to open. (Y/n) smiled and shook her head, the woman could be such a worry-wart sometimes.

 

"It's fine. I'm making sure I'm getting actual food for breakfast and dinner," (Y/n) said in an attempt to calm the raging big sister in Petra. She thought back on all the pre-packed sushi and salads, meals that look like proper food after taking them out of microwavable containers and instant noodles and delivery food. She didn't want to get groceries and prepare her meals anymore due to her fear of being followed.

 

"I had salad and steak last night," the (h/c)-haired female proudly announced which made Petra calm down. Well, more like those steaks you heat in the microwave. But she's not gonna tell her that. Still a little dubious, the older female sighed.

 

"Alright, alright. But don't forget to take care of yourself ok? I know it's been very stressful lately, but we only have one health so let's take good care of it," the brunette lectured while poking (Y/n)'s arm. The younger female still retained some softness in her making Petra's finger bounce a bit at the contact.

 

"Yes _mom_ ," (Y/n) drawled out lazily and began typing on her laptop again. Petra just huffed in her seat and decided to turn her attention to her tasks at hand which were stapling test papers for a subject due tomorrow.

 

Lunch time came and the morning shift teachers came back, some groaning and cracking their necks. It must have been so boring watching over the kids for hours. That wasn't the case for Hanji though, who was all smiles and giggling as if she just witnessed something incredible from the past few hours. She must have had her usual psychoanalysis while she was proctoring. Levi was in his usual disinterested trance and went straight to his table and Petra was just as cheerful as ever to see him. But she frowned a little upon seeing Oluo walking right behind the raven-haired senior.

 

It was not unusual to see Levi with Petra, Oluo, Gunther and Eld. The group has always been together most, if not all, of the time and has been dubbed as Squad Levi long before (Y/n) first started working in the school. It was said that Levi was the one who interviewed them and when they got absorbed, the quartet trained under him thus forming the bond they have now. She thought that was pretty cool and now, she's joining them for lunch.

 

The group was pretty chill and it was funny how Petra and Oluo sometimes argue over the pettiest things. Hanji was always either with Mike or the principal Erwin. Sometimes with both, during coffee breaks on idle days. (Y/n) on the otherhand was some kind of a floater and not really officially belonging to any posse. She decided it was easier to be cool with everyone and go in and out of groups.

 

Lunch was livelier than usual for her. It was not everyday that she gets to dine with many people all at once and it was a nice change. She felt safer being in a group too. She was surrounded by men and one doting woman. (Y/n) was quite a silent eater and with the chatty Petra and the interactive guys, she found a quiet company in the stoic Levi who merely grunts and scoffs every once in a while.

 

It all went by quickly and by 1 pm, they were all in the campus preparing for the last set of exams for the day. Petra walked her to her destined room and waved the brunette off before entering the room. As expected, the students have settled down and all of their belongings tucked safely in the shelves for safekeeping and to prevent any forms of cheating or distraction.

 

They were all seemed to be ready but since protocol calls for it, she shall announce the instructions and rules once again.

 

"Good afternoon Class 2-A, I will be your proctor for this afternoon. May I request that you keep ONLY your writing materials and non programmable calculators with you and the rest of your things be placed in your bags. Please remove the following: ID's, watches, phones, and for girls - have your hair tied up." The school has strict standards during their exams. Some sounds of shuffling could be heard and after some time, it ceased. This was her cue to continue.

 

"You will be taking your final exam for Trigonometry and you have 1 hour and 30 minutes to answer. If you manage to finish it before the first hour, please remain seated. You may pass your test materials 30 minutes before the time. No bathroom breaks and if you really need to go, you should pass your test sheets finished or not."

 

"Please get one and pass. Do not open your test yet and wait for further instructions."

 

She began disseminating the test papers and answer sheets for each row and the moment they got theirs, they placed it face down. Man, how quiet the room has become. She almost scoffed. Well, math has never been her strong point either. She knows how they feel.

 

"Once the timer starts, please refrain from talking or making any noise. No looking at your seatmate's papers and please refrain from doing any form of cheating. If you have any questions, you may raise your hand and I will approach you," she said with a smile. Surely, no one would attempt to cheat. Especially not in class A.

 

"Open your papers, and you may begin now. Good luck everyone."

  
....

 

It was peaceful with (Y/n) staring blankly at the window and enjoying the view outside. It was a sunny afternoon and only a few curls of clouds gently drift by the horizon. Though winter is fast approaching, the sun was still out although it helped little to none in warming the air.

 

An hour seemed drag out lazily for her while it ran too fast for the examinees. She spared them a glance and saw that they were creasing their brows in concentration. Trigonometry was never a walk in the park for most. A sudden vibration from her phone distracted her. Stiffling a yawn, she checked what it was. It was a message from an unknown number. (Y/n) raised a brow then looked around and was only met with silent teens focused on their exam. She went back to the message and read it.

 

It didn't take a second for her brows to crease, not in concentration like her students, but in fear and anger.

 

**[Unknown number]**

Hello. Did you miss me?

 

Then another one.

 

**[Unknown number]**

It's been so long. How are you?  
I miss you too.

 

 _What the fuck._ _Did they just imply I miss them or something?_

 

A scowl slowly made its way to her visage. She didn't even bother about hiding it, not minding if her students see how irritated she was growing. "What the actual fuck," she mentally growled. The _nerve_ they have to ask her how she was after all the shit they put her through! And they even used another number to contact her. Hell no, she doesn't miss them one bit. She wanted them gone for goodness sake! It took all her self restraint not to smash the phone against the wall, instead she gripped on it hard.

 

She thought they were gone. She thought they had realized that messing with her won't bring any good to them. She thought they finally got it through their head that she doesn't want them in her life. Why the hell are they back?

 

She was slowly reclaiming her peaceful days, finally enjoying life once again but they just had to go back and taunt her. _The fuck is their deal? What the hell do they want?_ Her body went rigid. Through her raging feelings, she unconsciously began furiously typing words of anger and was about to press send when she remembered to stop herself.

 

Realization dawned on her and she let out a silent gasp. With trembling fingers, she started to delete the hate reponse she almost sent them. She couldn't believe herself, she almost succumbed to their taunting. Finally remembering where she currently was, she closed her eyes for a moment, clutched her phone tight in her cold hands and let out a shaky breath.

 

She almost went batshit crazy in front of her students, didn't she? Biting her lower lip, she forced herself to not look at some of the worried stares from the students. _Fuck_ , why did she have to be a distraction to them today of all days? Not even an hour has passed, she hoped they would get their focus back on their papers.

 

They did after a few moments, but it was obvious that they were kinda spooked at her reaction earlier. What could've possibly set Miss (L/n) off like that? What was in that text? More importantly, who was it from? Did they just witness a private moment of their stoic teacher? Nosy teenagers and their uncontrollable thoughts and imagination.

 

She debated whether she'll remain seated and witness her students subject her in scrutiny or go out for a bit to cool her head off. Oh yes, they pretend to answer for awhile and then ever so slightly tilt their heads up to steal a look at her shaken form. (Y/n) couldn't help but feel humiliated. "Goddammit," she cursed to herself and slowly got up to leave, surprising the students.

 

"Don't try anything funny. I will be back in a bit," she said sternly as stepped out and closed the door behind her. It was too late, she went out and actually left them while exam was going on. Brows raised and eyes wide, they stared at the door and then to each other.

 

What an unprofessional mess she was becoming. The halls were empty and silent as she briskly walked through, only her soft footsteps echoed against the floor. Soon, she spotted a secluded place with a bench and sat on it. She breathed in and out to calm her nerves. But a nagging feeling of wanting to contact the inspector was ever present. And she didn't deny it.

 

It took a few rings before the other line picked up and she wasted no time in telling him what happened, only to be cut off with a chilling news.

 

"Miss (L/n), your stalker. We already know who he is."

 

...

 

"What the fuck was _that_?" Jean disbelievingly asked out loud, causing the others to whisper among themselves. Rumors started to circulate and they wondered if the teacher was behaving odd in other classes as well. The class got uncharacteristically noisy on an exam time, someone had to quiet it down in the absence of a teacher.

 

"Guys, let's pipe down. Exam is still going on you know," Armin said aloud yet meekly. No one was gonna tell him to shut it up, not with Mikasa seated next to him due to their alphabetic seating arrangement. That somehow made them see reason and soon enough, the room was back to being quiet.

 

Eren was oddly silent during the whole ordeal when he was one who usually joins the fray or pick petty fights with Jean. Instead, he was quietly scribbling algebraic solutions in his seat at the back. With his hand clamped tight over his mouth and eyes focused on his paper, anyone would think he was wracking his brains out in concentration.

 

After a while, he paused his scribbling and reluctantly gazed at the wall clock. Each ticking jived with the pulsing of his heart. With an inaudible gulp, he set his writing into motion again.

  
...

 

Her face paled. She couldn't shake off the dread she was feeling from what she just heard. This came too soon and the stalker contacted her again just minutes ago. She reminded herself that this was what she wanted the most and that she has to go through this to finally end this whole fiasco. It has been running for too long, dragging on and torturing her.

 

"Y-You know his identity already?" Her voice cracked and her hands went clammy once again. She sounded so small and meek and it didn't help that she was out in the open like this. She wanted to run back and lock herself in her cubicle but she knows she can't.

 

"Yes, apparently he goes to Sina University and takes the same train as you do. Even frequents the places that you go to," the inspector responded. She could hear the sound of paper flapping in the background. It was probably documents about her case. They tracked him using the first phone number she gave them and have been spying on him over the course of days.

 

"An entrapment operation will be conducted later this afternoon by my team and we hope to catch him this time."

 

She nodded and thanked him before ending the call. Her chest felt tight and she felt light-headed. Aware that she has been out for more than 15 minutes, she decided to head back to the class to resume her duties.

 

The walk back to the room felt heavy. Each step seemed like a few pounds on each leg. The weighty feeling in her chest didn't help either. She went in and saw that the students looked like how she left them earlier, only that they raised their heads up in surprise when they saw her taking her seat in front of them.

 

The first hour has passed and a few students handed out their test papers and went out. Soon, more and more students handed out their papers. Each of them sent her a worried gaze, to which she inwardly sighed. She knew that what happened earlier was quite bizarre. She wished they would just forget it soon and not make a fuss about it.

 

"You only have 15 minutes left. Start finalizing your answers," she announced to the people remaining in their seats. A few moments passed and a brunette came up to her and shakingly handed his completed exam. It was Eren with concern written across his face.

 

She raised a brow in concern. He looked like he was about to burst, his face was flushed, his brows furrowed and he was biting his lower lip as if holding back on something. _Ah, the brat was worried too. Poor thing, he was probably distracted from earlier_. (Y/n) hoped she wasn't the reason why he finished last. She knew how competitive Jeager was and would love to one up on everyone if he has the chance to.

 

"You okay Miss (Y/n)?" He asked in a low voice, trying to keep anyone but her from hearing him. She only smiled and nodded.

 

"Yeah, don't worry." She was stopping at that, not wanting to add more and to avoid further scrutiny from the teen. He sighed and nodded before excusing himself and stepping out. His friends must be waiting for him somewhere outside.

 

...

 

True enough, Mikasa and Armin were waiting for him just a few rooms away. Some students from other classes are still answering so they had to be quiet to avoid being reprimanded by angry stressed out teachers. It was wise not to discuss answers until later.

 

"Hey, I gotta use the bathroom real quick," Eren hastily said and shoved his bag to Mikasa who only blinked at him as he ran across the hall.

 

"He must have been holding it in for so long," Armin wondered out loud. Well, it sucks to take in caffeine during exams since there will be no bathroom breaks and Eren has been into canned coffee and energy drinks lately.

 

...

 

He came upon an empty comfort room and immediately entered a cubicle. Not able to hold it in any longer, his shoulders trembled as he let out a mirthful laugh. He doubled over, until his hand leaned against the wall as he laughed his heart out. His cackles got too loud that he had to squeeze hand over his mouth to muffle his mad laughter.

 

Eren rubbed his bright green eyes tearing up in glee while he was catching his breath, trying to calm himself down but not without letting a few snickers out. It was too much. She was too much. Too adorable not too tease. He had to force himself not to stare at her reaction when she opened up the text message.

 

"Oh (Y/n), (Y/n)..." he sighed as he ran a hand through his brown locks. After composing himself he went out and over the sink to fix his shirt and tie in front of the mirror. A small huff went past his lips and a pleased smile adorned his handsome face.

 

Eren has an acquaintance to thank for the messaging program he used. A program that sends texts when you want to on predetermined intervals. All the trouble of getting those prototype phones, sim cards, and sneaking in and out of train stations and shady alleyways was worth it.

 

He almost felt a little sorry for the unsuspecting fool he dragged into this mess.

 

"Now how's that, (Y/n)? How will your police buddies react when they found out they've been played?"

 

His dark chuckles turned into sighs of sadness. He found it sad to be doing all these to her. If only getting closer and wooing her was as easy as it could be, he wouldn't have to do all these horrible things. But his beloved was too guarded and won't even let him in. He grimaced when he remembered how she brushes him off whenever he tries to care for her.

 

Therefore, breaking her was necessary. Like exciting a ground state atom, he had to subject (Y/n) into series of situations to break her outer shell and to expose her fragile core. Maybe by then, she would have nothing to shield herself with and would finally let him in. She has to.

 

It's going to be a long arduous process, but the end results would surely be worth all the pain. Eren can't help but smile. All the sneaky little activities he likes to call 'love sacrifices' will be rewarded soon.

 

....

 

"I fucking told you, it wasn't me! What the hell, I don't even know who this (Y/n) (L/n) is!!"

 

Stone-faced, she stared at the man being interrogated inside the room through the tinted glass. Yet her eyes were filled with unshed tears. She can see from the outside but the ones inside cannot view the observers at the other side of the glass. Her arms wrapped around herself as she tried to steady her rapidly beating heart. She has been trying to control her shaking since she got here and even on her way here, anxiety nagged at her like there's no tomorrow.

 

Finally seeing the bastard who has been tormenting her, she couldn't help but bite her lip. She wanted to scream at him, hit him, cry at him... anything to express her fear and anger at everything he did, for hurting her cat, for throwing her life off balance.

 

She watched the suspect plead to the interrogator with tears running down his face. How dare him act like he was innocent? Like he didn't put her through hell for months? She curled her fists hard. This fucker. He even had the audicity to texr her awhile ago. Acting like he knew her, acting like he has the right to talk to her like that.

 

She racked her brain trying to remember who the guy accused as the suspect was. (Y/n) cannot remember ever encountering him at all. His face wasn't even close to familiar. He must've hidden himself quite well from her and kept to the shadows like the monster he is.

 

"Aside from barging into her home and causing damages, you've been harassing the complainant using this phone we retrieved from your bag. We have been tracking the number for days. It would be easier to just tell the truth."

 

The young man in handcuffs growled angrily at the interrogator who kept a stoic face on. A prototype phone with some sort of foil wrapped around the antenna was laying on the cold hard surface of the table. It was placed inside a resealable plastic bag as part of the evidence.

 

"I told you I never did any of the things you're accusing me! That phone's not mine. I don't even know how the hell it got into my bag. For fuck's sake, I'm innocent!!" He screeched. If he could, he would've torn his hair off in frustration. They've been going on about this for hours now and no matter how hard he tried to reason, they just won't buy it. Whoever this (Y/n) (L/n) is, he better have a word with her and clear his name.

 

The man in uniform frowned and looked over his back to signal for (Y/n) to be brought in the room. Her heart skipped a beat, she gulped and nodded. She knew she's safe, the police are present. The (h/c)-haired woman went in which caused the accused to turn his pleading eyes to her. She flinched at the sudden attention.

 

"Miss, whatever they are accusing me, I swear I didn't do it. Whoever it was, it wasn't me! Please, it's not me! I'm just a student--"

 

"You made my life a living hell, broke into my house, hurt my cat and continuously terrorized me.... why did you do that? Do I know you? D-Did I do anything to you?" She asked, tears falling down her face as she did so. She didn't want to look so weak, not in front of her stalker, but it was just too much. She can't take it anymore.

 

The man looked petrified and shook his head furiously. The metal handcuffs rattled against each other as he tried to waved his arms around in an attempt to make a point.

 

"No! I don't know you! I have never seen you before in my entire life! It was true that I take the same train, sometimes go to those places they mentioned but I never went anywhere near Kyojin High! I have absolutely no reason to! I don't know who did all those horrible things to you but I swear on my life it wasn't me! I'm too busy to be doing such horrendous things and I'm sure as hell not that kind of person. Please you got to believe me!" He cried desperately. She stared at him, about to burst into a crying mess but she restrained herself. She continued...

 

"Earlier this afternoon, I recieve text messages from an unknown number after being left alone for some time. Why--"

 

"I did not do that!!" He screeched turning to the interrogator then back to (Y/n) who was looking more horrified than ever.

 

"That unknown number is being traced as of the moment," the officer said while glancing at his watch. A possibility of having more than just one suspect was being considered. But it could be that this young man was telling the truth. There was one way to find out. He pressed on the intercom

 

"Order a fingerprint and DNA test on the evidence."

 

  
  


 


End file.
